If I Could Use Your Love
by raeofultraviolet
Summary: Blaine Anderson is an incredibly talented musician living in Los Angeles and trying to make a name for himself. He is also incredibly shy and can't assert himself enough to get in the limelight. When a chance meeting with Kurt Hummel, a famous actor, opens up an opportunity for him, how can he say no? The only problem is, it requires the two of them to lie to everyone around them.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! I started posting this story on Scarves&Coffee, but I decided to start posting it here as well! I'll probably post a chapter a day until it's all caught up with S&C, which is currently on chapter six.

Blaine is a musician in this story and there's a lot of music throughout, so I suggest you check it out! The song titles will be mentioned at the end of each chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Anyone who knew Blaine Anderson knew that he was incredibly talented when it came to music. Over the years he had learned to play many instruments, plus he had a knack for being able to teach himself to play any instrument he managed to get his hands on. He also had a very distinct melodic voice that drew people in every time he sang. There wasn't a doubt in many people's minds that he could make it big if he wanted to. Not only was he incredibly talented, but he was also very easy on the eyes and had an aura of passion for his music that made audiences want to listen for more.

There was just one problem.

If someone wanted to make it in the music industry, he needed to be headstrong, with a slight tone of arrogance just to prove that he knew he could do it. Above all, he needed to be assertive, and not afraid to put himself out there.

Blaine Anderson was not any of those things.

He was incredibly shy, and not very personable. He wasn't very outgoing, and rarely ever spoke to people he didn't know unless he was introduced first.

This made going into music very difficult.

Ever since Blaine was little, he knew he wanted to be a musician. If his drive wasn't enough, his talent proved that he could do anything he set his mind to. The only thing he had a problem with was getting noticed.

Blaine thought it'd be easier once he moved to Los Angeles. He'd gone to college at University of Southern California and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music. He stayed in L.A. to try and find some work but so far the only thing he's been able to do is work several part-time jobs to keep up with the bills. He was lucky enough to find a job in a recording studio, but he really didn't do much other than filing and other background work.

One thing he had managed to be aggressive enough about was booking shows in local pubs and restaurants. A few nights a week (if he was lucky) he played a set or two of several covers and original songs to entertain anyone who was willing to listen. Some of the time he was really just background noise, but he got paid to do it, at the very least. He hoped he would one day be lucky enough to play for someone who might offer him a recording contract.

_Back to you  
It always comes around  
Back to you  
I tried to forget you  
I tried to stay away  
But it's too late_

_Over you  
I'm never over  
Over you  
Something about you  
It's just the way you move  
The way you move me_

_I'm so good at forgetting  
And I quit every game I play  
But forgive me, love  
I can't turn and walk away_

_Back to you  
It always comes around  
Back to you  
I walk with your shadow  
I'm sleeping in my bed  
With your silhouette_

_Should have smiled in that picture  
If it's the last that I'll see of you  
It's the least that you  
Could not do_

_Leave the light on  
I'll never give up on you  
Leave the light on  
For me too_

_Back to me  
I know that it comes  
Back to me  
Doesn't it scare you  
Your will is not as strong  
As it used to be_

Blaine sang with so much emotion that it brought half of the restaurant to tears. He was playing at one of his favorite restaurants, a place downtown called Giovanni's. He played there at least once a week and had become pretty close friends with the owner and a few of the staff members. Of course, "friends" with Blaine meant the other person did most of the talking and got a few sentences out of him every once in a while, but once Blaine warmed up to people he wasn't so tense and at least let people in a little bit.

Blaine finished his final set for the evening, giving a polite smile and a small "thanks" before grabbing his guitar and heading back to the small room behind the stage that served as a dressing room for performers and a break room for the restaurant staff.

"Marvelous, Blaine, as usual!" The owner greeted him with a warm hug and a light chuckle.

"Thanks, Gio," Blaine said softly, but not unkindly. He returned the hug and smiled at the owner.

"I'm still baffled as to why you haven't gotten a recording contract yet." Gio laughed again, handing Blaine another glass of water, which he took gratefully. "I'll be first in line to get your CD when it comes out."

"I can't think of anyone else I'd want to be the first," Blaine said truthfully. Ever since Blaine first met Giovanni, he had always felt comfortable with him. He had always treated Blaine like family, and supported him and his music. He really had almost been like a father to him out in this big city. He was one of the very few people out here who could tell you something of depth about Blaine. Not many others knew him beyond the fact that he was a pretty face with incredible talent.

Gio had taken a liking to Blaine and had tried to get to know him more ever since the first show he booked with him during his senior year in college. Ever since then, he's been spreading Blaine's name throughout the city as much as he could through his staff and clientele. Everyone there loved him, even if he was quiet.

The thing about Blaine though, Giovanni noticed, is that when he was performing, you would never guess that he was socially awkward and shy at all. He was so open when he played his music, a true performer, especially his original songs. No one really knew if they were about anyone specific or just words he wrote on a page, but while he sang the lyrics, it seemed as if Blaine was an open book, stuck in his own little world and waiting to be read.

Perhaps this was the reason Giovanni liked Blaine so much. He knew he had a past, but was not going to pry if Blaine didn't want him to. He just knew that even if Blaine was timid in person, he owned the stage with his passion. His performing was fantastic, anyone in the audience had to be blind not to see that, or even hear it in his voice. Giovanni booked him at least once a week ever since his first show, in hopes that Blaine would open up a little more if he got used to the performances.

"Oh, um, I wanted to ask you," Blaine said timidly, "Is it all right if I play a little later on Thursday? I have to stay late at the studio to look over the files for the new contract and…"

"Of course!" Gio said instantly. "How about eight instead of six thirty? I can switch the two slots." Blaine nodded and smiled once more, then proceeded to pack up his guitar.

He didn't notice the tall, sandy-blonde waitress come into the room looking a little apprehensive as she approached Giovanni. The two spoke quietly and Blaine didn't bother them. He was far too polite to even try and eavesdrop on the conversation. It wasn't his business, so why did he need to know?

He continued to gather his things and place them on the old, faded, maroon sofa against the wall while his thoughts slipped from focus and he began to think about his performance. It was a fairly decent crowd that night, and the audience seemed to enjoy his sets. He did notice that the crowd tonight seemed to respond a little more to his originals than most crowds. Usually when putting together a set list, Blaine found that it was important to have just as many if not more covers than originals. People liked to hear songs they knew.

"Blaine?" Giovanni called his attention and shook Blaine from his thoughts with a bright voice and a smile on his face. Blaine looked over at him to show he was listening as he closed his guitar case.

"There's someone at the restaurant tonight who has just informed Shayna that he'd like to meet you; is it all right if we bring him back here?" Blaine raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"That's… Yeah, you can bring him back here, I guess. Who is it?" Blaine didn't want to get his hopes up that it might be a studio owner interested in getting him a contract. After all, a lot of people came back here after shows to compliment him. It was probably just another person who had seen him play and wanted to congratulate his performance.

"Oh, I think you'll be very surprised." Gio smiled. "Go ahead and bring him back here, Shayna." She nodded with a large grin and swiftly fled the room.

"Surprised in a good way, or…?" Blaine didn't really know what Gio meant, but he was still going to keep his head on.

"In a good way." Gio replied. "It's probably not what you're thinking, but… well you'll see. You'll be shocked, trust me." He smiled and chose to leave the room at that moment. He stepped just outside the door when Blaine heard him speak again.

"Welcome to Giovanni's!" He exclaimed with his big, booming Italian personality. "Thank you for visiting my restaurant, I hope you found everything to your liking?"

"It was excellent, thank you." A high voice said. Blaine knew that voice, but he saw the face that went with it a split second before he could place it. And shocked he was.

Blaine Anderson was looking directly at Kurt Hummel.

Kurt Hummel was a young, talented, and very successful Hollywood actor who starred in various movies as well as a popular comedy on television called _Far From the End_. As far as Blaine knew, he recently turned 24, not even a year older than Blaine, and also moved out to L.A. from the midwest. Like Blaine, he had a passion for the arts, and had an incredible singing voice.

Unlike Blaine, he was very friendly, outgoing, and confident.

Although Blaine didn't normally follow the Hollywood lifestyle of celebrities and honestly didn't pay too much attention to them and their social lives (mostly because he never had much time) he did pay attention to a few things. One of those things was Kurt Hummel.

Not because Blaine had a "celebrity crush" on him, or because he was an obsessed fan, but more so because Kurt was more of a role model to him. Like Blaine, Kurt was gay. He was out, confident, and proud, and people still loved him. Blaine was out and happy with it, but he admired people like Kurt, who didn't worry about what other people thought day by day, and just turned the other cheek to anyone who didn't respect who he was. He constantly surrounded himself with people who loved him for him, and Blaine only hoped he could be like that someday.

Blaine stared in shock as Kurt entered the room and gave him a bright, warm smile.

"Hi," He said stretching out his hand to shake, "I'm Kurt."

"Um, hi. I know." Blaine smiled lightly, still in shock. He quickly took Kurt's hand. "I'm Blaine." He said quietly, trying his best to remain calm.

"That set was fantastic, did you write those songs?" Kurt said as he plopped himself down in a brown leather chair across from the one next to Blaine. Blaine followed suit and sat down as well, afraid his knees might give out from being so star struck.

"Yeah, well most of them…" Blaine trailed off and his gaze dropped.

"Well you are an incredible musician," Kurt mused. "Seriously. I'm surprised you're just playing in this restaurant."

"Um… wow. Thanks…" Blaine looked up at Kurt's bright and contagious smile and couldn't help grinning slightly.

"Please, it was my pleasure just to hear you. Have you always done this?" Kurt wondered.

"Music?" Blaine raised an eyebrow and Kurt nodded in response. "Um, yeah… I got my BFA in music from USC." Blaine started to twist and untwist his fingers together to keep his hands busy. He didn't know what to say.

"Well, like I said, you're amazing." Kurt smiled again. "It was nice to—" Kurt was cut off as his cell phone began to ring loudly. He looked at the screen and sighed. "Oh, I'm really sorry; I have to take this. Give me one second." He smiled apologetically and Blaine gestured that it was fine.

"Hey Sage, what's up?" He answered. Blaine began twisting his fingers again as he looked around the room, trying to avoid staring at Kurt. If Blaine was being perfectly honest, it was hard not to stare at Kurt. TV and movies did him no justice; he looked far more attractive in person. His pale skin had almost a glow to it and his smile radiated throughout the room. His features were sharp and beautiful, and his eyes were swimming with various shades of blues and grays, forming intricate patterns in his irises.

"—Okay, I'll see what I can do. Thanks!" Kurt hung up the phone and turned back to Blaine. "I'm so sorry; that was really rude of me. I just had a call about a—"

"No, it's okay; I know you must be really busy. Thanks for coming to talk to me…" He gave Kurt a weak smile, his nervousness still evident in his expression.

"Well thank you for understanding. Unfortunately I do have to go. I'd like to talk to you again some time, if you don't mind though?" Kurt asked with a light smile. Blaine's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"I… really?" Blaine's voice was quiet once more.

"Of course, your music is wonderful. You're playing another show here this week, right?"

"Yeah," Blaine nodded, "Thursday at eight." He tried his best to keep up his confidence.

"Well I'll do my best to come by again," Kurt said as he gathered up his jacket. "Thanks for letting me talk with you Blaine!" He headed towards the door.

"Um, thanks…" Blaine stared as Kurt left the room backstage and let out a huge breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Did that really just happen?

* * *

To say Blaine was nervous was an understatement. He was never nervous about performing before, when he was on stage he was in his own little world. Tonight, though, he had a very good reason to be nervous. After all, it's not every day Kurt Hummel tells you he's going to try to come and watch you perform.

Sure, he's already seen him play before, but Blaine didn't know he was in the audience. Now he was over thinking everything, wondering what he could do to make sure nothing gets messed up, no matter what. He drummed his fingers on the pads of his thumbs, pacing the room in anticipation.

What should he be worried about anyway? It's not like he needed to prove himself to Kurt. He wasn't trying to get Kurt's attention in any way. Kurt was the one who came and talked to him, after all. Kurt was the one who decided to make his presence known. Blaine shouldn't be nervous; Kurt already said he was good.

Knowing there was a celebrity in the audience shouldn't make him nervous. Especially since that celebrity had come just to see him. Even if that celebrity was extremely talented and overwhelmingly gorgeous.

God, why was he so damn nervous?

"You're up, Blaine!" Gio called into the room, effectively pulling Blaine from his thoughts. He took a deep breath and grabbed his guitar, letting out a sigh as he glanced up at the ceiling with a sad smile just as he did before every show, sending a silent prayer to the one person whom he wished could see him play.

"All right, you can do this." He muttered to himself before stepping onto the small stage. The bright stage lights allowed him to look around the audience and not feel overwhelmed by the blur of faces. He smiled slightly as he began his set, letting the music take him over as he surrendered himself to the one place he felt he could open himself up.

_Another day another life  
Passes by just like mine  
It's not complicated  
Another mind  
Another soul  
Another body to grow old  
It's not complicated  
Do you ever wonder if the stars shine out for you?_

_Another tear  
Another cry  
Another place for us to die  
Its not complicated  
Another life that's gone to waste  
Another light lost from your face  
It's complicated  
Is it that it's over or do birds still sing for you?_

_Float down  
Like autumn leaves  
And Hush now  
Close your eyes before the sleep  
And you're miles away  
And yesterday you were here with me_

_Ooh how I miss you  
My symphony played the song that carried you out  
And Ooh how I miss you  
I miss you and I wish you'd stay  
Do you ever wonder if the stars shine out for you?_

_Float down  
Like autumn leaves  
And Hush now  
Close your eyes before the sleep  
And you're miles away  
And yesterday you were here with me_

Sometimes it was hard for Blaine to stop himself from letting his emotions get the better of him when he sang. He quickly pulled himself back to reality and finished his set, slowly letting the melody of the piano fade out from his last song. He smiled when the audience applauded for him, grabbed his guitar, and then left the stage.

He let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he was holding when he returned to the dressing room. It was one of the harder days for him. He tried not to think about it, and he was grateful when Giovanni came into the room.

"I hope you make time to still come and play here every once and a while when you're famous." Gio said with a huge smile. Blaine couldn't help but feel comforted by his enthusiasm.

"Thanks," he said, blushing slightly. "I'll make sure to do that, I promise." Giovanni smiled and looked down at his watch. "I've got to go check on things in the back. Have a nice night, Blaine; I'll see you next week?"

"Of course, thanks." Blaine smiled as Gio left the room. He gathered his things and was just closing his guitar case when he heard a soft knock on the open door behind him. He spun around and almost fell over. While he was out on stage, he had completely forgotten who was supposed to be in the audience. Said person was now standing outside the door.

"Uh…" Blaine wanted to bang his head against the wall at his lack of eloquence.

"Hi," Kurt greeted cheerfully, "mind if I come in?"

"N-no," Blaine stammered, mentally kicking himself. "Not at all." Kurt stepped in and closed the door behind him before taking a seat in one of the comfy armchairs across from where Blaine was standing.

"That was fantastic, once again." Kurt smiled. Blaine blushed and sat down, not really knowing what to say, other than muttering a shy "thanks."

"You seem a little nervous…" Kurt's voice was slightly laced with a mix of concern and confusion. "I'm not going to chew you out; like I said, your talent is incredible."

"Well, thanks." Blaine murmured, trying to build up the courage to look Kurt in the eye. "I'm not…" He sighed and finally mustered enough nerve to look up. "Sorry, I'm just… not very outgoing…"

"I honestly would never have guessed that with the way you perform. It's like your whole heart and soul are out in the open on that stage with you." Kurt paused and Blaine suddenly felt self-conscious. He curled his arms across his chest and looked away.

"I liked it. I like the way you perform. It's unique and… breath taking." Blaine's head snapped up at that, which embarrassed him further, causing the blood to rise in his cheeks. What was wrong with him?

"I… guess I feel more comfortable expressing myself through music…" Blaine muttered. He knew he was making this whole situation really awkward, but he couldn't help it. He didn't know what to do.

"Well I can definitely tell that much. Your talent is ineffable." There was a gleam in Kurt's eyes that comforted Blaine a little bit. He willed himself to relax slightly, trying to convince himself to let his guard down a bit.

"Thanks. That… means a lot, especially coming from someone like you…" Blaine blushed at his own words. He hated how awkward he was.

"Have you ever thought about trying to talk to a record company?" Kurt questioned.

"Um… well I work for a recording studio, but it's mostly just paperwork and filing and stuff…" Blaine said shyly.

"Has anyone in the studio ever heard you perform?"

"Um, no… I don't think they even know I can play any instruments or anything…" Blaine looked away, knowing what question was coming next.

"Why not? If you played something for them they'd probably start working on something with you right away." Kurt insisted.

"I just… don't really have time at work and none of my coworkers have ever come to a show so…"

"Have you invited them? Because you definitely should."

"Well… um, no." Blaine felt so small next to this incredible man. Kurt was so confident and outgoing, and Blaine was so… not.

"Why not? I'm sure anyone you work with would love to come and see you." Kurt seemed so optimistic and honestly quite oblivious to Blaine's absolute shyness. Perhaps he just thought it was only in his presence because of his celebrity status, but Blaine was definitely an introvert everywhere except the stage.

"I don't really… talk to people all that much at work… I…" Blaine took a breath. "I can't really open up to people. I'm just… really…" Blaine looked towards his shoes once again, ready to be judged by the wonderfully sociable man in front of him.

"Well that's the problem then, isn't it?" Kurt said brightly. His judgment-free tone surprised Blaine.

"What?" Blaine raised an eyebrow slightly.

"You're amazingly talented, you just don't know how to assert yourself and put yourself out there." Kurt stated simply. "You're too shy and polite to put yourself in the faces of people who won't give anyone the time of day unless they're pushed to the edge until they do so." Blaine looked very confused.

"Trust me, I've been there." Kurt smiled and Blaine remained silent, still slightly perplexed. "You just need to learn to get yourself out there in the way of those who matter. Not that playing shows like this doesn't matter, because personally I love these types of shows, hence why you saw me here the other night, and why I'm back again." Kurt laughed slightly and Blaine relished in the musical sound. "But you need to push yourself and make people listen to you."

"I… it's not so easy for me to do that." Blaine quietly replied. He knew very well that was what he needed to do; he just couldn't come out of his shell far enough to take that chance.

"I know; it's a hard thing to make yourself adjust to." Kurt seemed to notice how uncomfortable Blaine was becoming, and promptly changed the subject, much to Blaine's consolation.

"So how long have you been playing guitar?" Kurt asked with a nod towards Blaine's guitar case on the ground beside the vanity.

"Since I was about ten I think… it might've been before that…" Blaine looked deep in thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think it was when I was ten. I started playing piano when I was six."

"Can you play any other instruments?" Blaine's face lit up immediately at the question.

"Yes, a lot of them actually. I taught myself how to play a lot of things in high school and college, just for fun."

"You taught yourself? What can you play?" Kurt sounded shocked, and Blaine smiled. One of the very few things he could open up about was his music.

"Um… well I can play piano and guitar, obviously," He started marking on his fingers. "I don't know if harmonica really counts… but I can also play the drums, ukulele, violin, cello, pretty much anything with strings, really. Flute, trumpet, saxophone… I think that's it." Blaine silently counted on his fingers again and nodded. He looked at Kurt's astonished expression and blushed.

"That's amazing!" Kurt exclaimed.

"I um… Well I experimented around the bands a lot in high school and in college. I wanted to learn to play more so… yeah." Blaine began to drum his fingers on the back of his hand, nervous because of Kurt's shocked and impressed expression.

"You are… You taught yourself to play all of those?" Kurt asked incredulously.

"No, just about half of them…" Blaine blushed. He didn't like to brag.

"That's amazing." Kurt breathed. "If I were half that talented I wouldn't even know what to do with myself." Blaine rubbed the back of his neck and looked away at this, too embarrassed.

"Um, thanks." Blaine wished he could stop blushing. Silence filled the room for a brief moment before Kurt sat up, suddenly struck with an idea.

"How would you like to join me for lunch on Saturday?" He suddenly asked. Blaine was taken aback and at a loss for words. He gaped at Kurt, unsure that he actually heard what he thought he just heard.

"I'd love to talk to you more about your music, but I can't really do that right now. So what do you say? We could meet here if you like, I'll request something out of view so we don't get interrupted." Blaine thought about this for a moment and considered his options.

On one hand, meeting with Kurt could lead to disaster and he could wind up embarrassing himself even further. Kurt would never want to speak with him again and this whole encounter would be a distant memory.

On the other hand, maybe Kurt could help him. He already said he enjoyed Blaine's music, and maybe with Kurt's help Blaine could find a way to gain some much needed confidence.

Finally deciding that the pros far out-weighed the cons, Blaine nodded.

"Yeah, I'd love to." He finally said with a small, shy smile.

"Great!" Kurt clapped his hands together. "Does Saturday at one work for you?"

"Yeah, yeah that's fine." Blaine thought that maybe he was nodding a little too enthusiastically, but Kurt didn't seem to notice. He gathered his things once more and stood up.

"I'll see you on Saturday then." Kurt smiled and walked out of the door with a friendly wave, leaving Blaine to his thoughts. He wondered what he had just gotten himself into.

* * *

Songs used in this chapter:  
Back to You - John Mayer  
Autumn Leaves - Ed Sheeran

Thanks for reading! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Blaine stared at his reflection for the fifteenth time in the past ten minutes, critiquing every part of his appearance. His curls were loose, but still tamed, his face was freshly shaved, and his clothes were neat and ironed. After taking over an hour to decide on what to wear, he finally settled on a simple and casual gray blazer with a maroon button down underneath, a pair of fitted, dark jeans, and loafers.

He wasn't sure why he was so nervous for this lunch. It wasn't a date, was it? Kurt had just said he wanted to talk to Blaine about his music, nothing more. So why was he so nervous? It's not like they were going anywhere special; they were going to meet at Giovanni's at a small table in the back where they wouldn't be noticed. Just two… what were they? Acquaintances? Yes, just two acquaintances having lunch together to talk about music.

Why was he so damn nervous?

It felt like he was playing the set for Kurt all over again. He shouldn't feel this way about a guy who he would probably talk to one more time today and then never see again. It's not like Kurt was interested. Blaine was probably a charity case of interest for good-hearted Kurt.

Blaine glanced at the clock and took a deep breath. He had to leave soon or he would miss his… lunch. Just a lunch. Just a lunch at a place where he went so often that he could probably write the menu into a song from memory. He blinked a few times, then turned away from the mirror before he could decide his reflection was unsatisfactory.

Blaine reached Giovanni's a few minutes before one o'clock and took another deep breath before addressing the hostess.

"Hey, Kayleigh. I'm supposed to be meeting… a friend here at one… I'm not sure what the reservation is under…"

"Blaine!" Kayleigh practically yelled. Her brown eyes were shining with delight and her straight blonde bob fell past her ear as she smiled brightly. "You didn't tell me you've got a date with Kurt Hummel!" Thankfully, she lowered her voice when saying Kurt's name, just enough so it wouldn't catch the attention of anyone nearby.

"I… I don't have a date, it's just lunch. That's all." Blaine defended, not wanting to give anyone (including himself) the wrong impression.

"Pish posh! How can you say that? Why are you not doing a happy dance right now? You have a date with one of the hottest gay guys in Hollywood!" Kayleigh wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"Kayleigh, please, not now. I don't want to get into this at the moment." Blaine sighed. He loved Kayleigh, she was one of the few people who could get actual words out of him most days, but sometimes she could be a little overbearing. He was plenty used to her though, they met in college and Kayleigh was one of the only people who knew a lot about Blaine and his past. She was the one who always set him on the right path if he was straying too far.

"Fine, fine, fine," she huffed out before grabbing two menus. "I'll take you to your table now. Hottie's not here yet, but I'll bring him over when he gets here." She led him over to a small table in the back that was hidden from view.

"You either have Shaun or Hannah serving you, whichever one is less busy, I'll let you know when I talk to them." She told him. Blaine nodded and smiled, taking a seat at the table. He glanced down at the menu, already knowing what he was probably going to end up ordering, and waited patiently for Kurt. Seconds turned to minutes and Blaine briefly wondered if he'd been stood up. After a few moments of worry, Kayleigh came up to the table, leading a flustered looking Kurt over.

"I'm so sorry!" Kurt panted out, "I got stuck outside by a small mob of sixteen-year-old girls, and I didn't want to be rude…"

"It's fine, I understand." Blaine interrupted. Kayleigh glanced over at him and winked.

"Shaun will be right with you guys," she said with a smile.

"Oh, tell him it's no rush," Kurt said. "I don't want to put him behind… unless you have somewhere to be?" He addressed Blaine. Blaine replied with a small shake of his head and Kurt smiled.

Kayleigh took a moment to glance between the two, and then took off towards the entrance where the hostess' podium was.

"I'm sorry I'm so late," Kurt said again, looking truly apologetic.

"No, no it's fine, really. You're not that late, but I understand. It's nice that you greet your fans instead of ignoring them." Blaine smiled, but quickly dropped his eyes to the menu to keep himself occupied. He didn't notice the gleam in Kurt's eyes.

"How often do you play here?" Kurt asked after a few silent moments.

"At least once a week… Gio and some of the other staff members have kind of been like my family since I met them." Blaine explained as he glanced back down at the menu. Kurt opened his mouth to ask another question, but he was interrupted by the waiter who had made his way over to the table.

"Good afternoon, sirs," a redhead with cropped hair and thick-rimmed glasses addressed them. "I'm Shaun and I'll be your server for today. Would you like to start off with anything to drink?" Blaine raised an eyebrow in question.

"Shaun, you don't have to be so formal," He said lightly with a small smile. "Really, you see me every week."

"Yes, but you have a guest." Shaun gestured to Kurt. Kurt laughed and waved a hand in dismissal.

"Please, don't worry, I don't need any special treatment." He smiled, then added, "and I'd just like a water please."

"I'll have the same," Blaine said.

"I'll be right back," Shaun nodded and walked away, winking a deep brown eye at Blaine. Blaine looked pointedly at his menu, ignoring Shaun. It was quiet again until Kurt spoke up once more.

"You're different around them." He noted.

"Who?" Blaine asked.

"The staff here, Shaun and the hostess, her name was Kayleigh, right? You act differently than I've seen you when they're around."

"Oh, well… like I said, some of these people I'm closer to than most. Kayleigh I've known since college and most of the wait staff have been around since before I started playing here so I've gotten to know them over time. They've been helpful when… when I needed someone." Blaine looked down and started playing with his cloth napkin in need of something to do to distract himself.

"You're not nervous around me because I'm famous, are you?" When Blaine looked up at Kurt, his eyes met a genuinely concerned expression. Blaine felt a pull somewhere in his chest that he pointedly chose to ignore.

"If I said no I'd be lying, but not totally…" Blaine said quietly. "I'm just… I don't open up easily. Even with the people here, whom I've known for a while, I keep to myself a lot."

"Well, hey, you're opening up to me a little bit now." Kurt smiled. Blaine swore he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks, but he wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or panic. Shaun saved him from responding by returning with their drinks and taking their orders.

"And on stage." Kurt continued from his previous statement.

"Hmm?" Blaine questioned around taking a sip from his glass.

"When you're on stage you open up as well, with your music." Kurt supplied. Blaine nodded and looked away as he spoke.

"I feel more comfortable through music. I kind of end up in a bubble when I play." He muttered with a small shrug.

"I know the feeling," Kurt smiled sincerely. "When I was in high school I felt like the only way I could express myself was through music. Well, that and fashion." He laughed. "But whenever I needed to get a message across, I turned to music."

"That makes two of us." Blaine agreed.

"Even now, I feel better performing." Kurt continued, "and I try to encourage those who look up to me to do the same."

"I admire that a lot," Blaine said, ignoring the blush that was rising in his own cheeks. "I saw you last summer at the LGBT music festival singing with a group of teenagers. It was really inspiring."

"Oh, you were there?" Kurt asked. Blaine read his expression when he seemed to be confirming something in his mind.

"Yeah, I try to go every year. It's comforting to be a part of that support system there. Even if I don't talk to people much, it's nice to know we're all in the same boat." Blaine concluded. He figured he was confirming Kurt's suspicions that he was, in fact, gay, if Kurt didn't know already.

"Actions speak volumes too, you know. The fact that you go just to be a part of it and aren't afraid to show who you are, that takes courage. A lot of people look up to that." Kurt spoke and a silent understanding passed between them. They shared a small grin and both glanced away, unsure of what to say next.

Silence overtook them for a short while until Blaine got the courage to speak. He could sense Kurt was waiting on him, anyways.

"So… when did you start acting?" Blaine asked tentatively.

"When I was in high school I did a few musicals, but I didn't really start acting until I went to New York and started auditioning. I moved here when I landed my first movie role and signed on for the series after that." Kurt shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

Blaine was at a loss. It wasn't like he didn't want to get to know Kurt, but he was too anxious to ask anything for fear of it being too in-depth. He settled back into silence and took careful sips of his water. Kurt broke the tension after another minute or so.

"Can I ask you something?" His voice was heavier than it had been a few minutes ago.

"Um… yes." Blaine hesitated.

"You don't seem like you want to talk to me at all." It wasn't a question. Blaine waited a moment, then responded.

"It's not that, it's just… Well you said you wanted to talk about my music and I don't know what you want to know… and I don't mind talking to you, I just… I don't know what I should even be talking about…" he trailed off and hoped the tension would evaporate.

"Anything. Music, hobbies, politics, weird fetishes, the weather. Anything." Kurt said flatly. Blaine could hear the slight frustration in his tone.

"I'm sorry, I—"

"You didn't have to come if you didn't want to. You shouldn't feel obligated to go places just because of who invites you." His voice was a mixture of some frustration, but for the most part he seemed sincere.

Blaine wondered if this kind of thing had happened to Kurt before. Or maybe he'd tried to genuinely spend time with people that only wanted to know everything they could about him. Blaine knew first hand how annoying it could be to be questioned on everything about his life. He'd had more than enough practice in his life avoiding questions and ducking around people who wouldn't quit. Having an actual conversation was much better than an interview.

He didn't want to do that with Kurt. That wasn't at all what went through his mind when he'd agreed to meet him here.

"No, I didn't feel obligated."

"Then why'd you come?" Kurt pressed.

"I wanted to…" Blaine murmured.

"To talk about music like I suggested? Or did you have something else in mind?" The frustration was still there, but it was kept under control, and down to a minimum. Before Blaine could respond, Shaun appeared with their salads. The two of them remained silent while Shaun set the plates down and left after telling them to let him know if they needed anything.

Blaine started picking at his food quietly, trying his hardest not to look up at Kurt.

"You never answered my question." Kurt's voice was incredibly quiet. Blaine's eyes shot up immediately at the sound. He sounded _wounded_.

"I…" Blaine took a deep breath. He needed to be honest. "I'm just trying to get noticed." He murmured.

"How so?" Curiosity filled Kurt's tone.

"You… you said it yourself. I don't know how to assert myself. I figured if I could talk to someone like you, get to know you, hang out with you—"

"You could use me to get famous?" Gone was the curiosity; Kurt now sounded both angry and hurt. Blaine immediately widened his eyes.

"What? No! No, no, no! Of course not!" He spat out quickly, willing Kurt to understand his motives. "I'm not going to play that way. If I'm going to make it, I want to do it on my own account." Blaine looked directly at Kurt, trying to get him to see where he was coming from. Blaine may have been many things, but he would never be the kind of person to use someone or hurt him intentionally. He knew that if never again in his life, he needed to be assertive now, because he would never forgive himself if he hurt Kurt over a misunderstanding.

"What I was going to say was I wanted to ask for your help with… putting myself out there and coming out of my shell. Help me reach out to people and meet them so I can get my foot in the door." Blaine looked away briefly. "I figured, you're so confident and sure of yourself, and maybe you could help me become that as well…" He stopped and looked up at Kurt, hoping for a good reaction.

When he didn't speak, Blaine tried to continue. "I just want… I don't want to be known for who I know; I want to be known for who I _am._ The trouble I have is the confidence, and that's all I was hoping you could help me with. Nothing else. I wouldn't…" He didn't know what else to say; he just looked at Kurt desperately, hoping that he would understand what he meant.

Kurt's expression narrowed for a moment, then relaxed. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it, as if thinking for a minute. Blaine looked away, worried and afraid that Kurt would be angry with him. Kurt finally spoke up, gaining his attention once more.

"Maybe that's not the angle you want."

"Um… What do you mean?" Blaine was confused at the sudden change in Kurt's voice once more. He didn't sound angry, or frustrated or upset, instead he sounded thoughtful.

"Everyone's assertive. Maybe you should stick to being yourself." Kurt nodded to him.

" 'Cause that's working out so well," Blaine snorted.

"Well I'm saying you don't have to assert yourself directly. You can do it in another way." The corners of his mouth turned up in a sly expression, and Blaine was worried about what he was suggesting.

"Didn't you just say _not_ to assert myself…?" Blaine cocked an eyebrow.

"Well I guess technically _you_ wouldn't be asserting yourself…"

"…I'm not following." Blaine watched as Kurt's expression changed to a more serious one.

"Look, I'm trying to help you out, here."

"Okay…?"

"I'll make you a deal, but you don't have to follow it if it makes you uncomfortable. It's… maybe not the most ideal way of doing things but… I think it could work. But only if you want to. I don't want you to do this just because I suggested it. You have to decide if you're comfortable with it." Kurt leaned forward and looked directly into Blaine's hazel eyes. Blaine instantly felt intimidated and worried.

"…What's the deal?" He asked, hoping Kurt didn't notice him shrinking in his chair a little bit.

"Date me."


	3. Chapter 3

_"I'll make you a deal, but you don't have to follow it if it makes you uncomfortable. It's… maybe not the most ideal way of doing things but… I think it could work. But only if you want to. I don't want you to do this just because I suggested it. You have to decide if you're comfortable with it." Kurt leaned forward and looked directly into Blaine's hazel eyes. Blaine instantly felt intimidated and worried._

_"…What's the deal?" He asked, hoping Kurt didn't notice him shrinking in his chair a little bit._

_"Date me."_

* * *

"Wait, _what?_" Blaine was thankful he didn't choose that moment to take a sip of his water, because he was pretty sure it would have been spat out all over Kurt.

"Well, not really. Just for the media and public and stuff like that. Just… Pretend to date me." Kurt took a sip of his drink, looking very nonchalant and calm as if he did this sort of thing every afternoon.

"But… You just got angry with me because you thought I was doing _exactly _what you're suggesting we do…" Blaine spluttered out, still unsure if Kurt had actually made the suggestion.

"Well, think of it from a different angle. If I'm the one suggesting it, no harm done, right?" Kurt quirked an eyebrow in a playful manner and had a smirk on his face. Blaine blinked a few times and shook his head to clear his thoughts and process everything that had been said in the past three minutes.

"… Why?" he finally asked, looking at Kurt straight on.

"To get you noticed." Kurt leaned forward. "Let me lay it out for you. I know a lot of people in the business. If I introduce you, that will make people listen even more because they know _I _think you're worth it. On top of that, I'm very big in the media's eye because of the series and movies I've done. The fact that I'm gay just stirs up even more interest. Everyone will want to know who my boyfriend is the second they find out I'm taken. We're both extremely talented—though you probably more than I—which, again, will turn heads. And I'm not going to pretend you're not drop dead gorgeous, even when you put on a sweatshirt after a show and your curls have all gone astray." Blaine's eyes widened and he blushed, unable to stop himself. He looked down and pushed his lettuce around the plate with his fork while continuing to listen to Kurt. "Add all of those factors together and people can't help but notice you. They'll _want_ to notice you."

Blaine took a deep breath and put down his fork; his salad still went untouched. His gaze fell back to Kurt, studying him briefly as he processed Kurt's speech. The expression on the other man's face was genuine, but Blaine was still waiting for the punch line. Why would someone like Kurt Hummel be offering to do something as big as this to a nobody musician like Blaine Anderson?

"I… Kurt, I—"

"You don't have to, it's just a thought." Kurt interrupted. "I figured it's a way for you to get noticed without changing who you are. Honestly, I think people will like that."

"The fact that I'm too shy to talk to anybody?" Blaine raised an eyebrow.

"More so the fact that you're modest. But, yes, in a way. The whole shyness factor will be a new thing for them."

"But…" Blaine began, gathering his thoughts. "You do realize the fact that I'm so introverted is the reason I'm not… comfortable…"

"I'm not saying actually date me, just for the public eye and media." Kurt shrugged and Blaine couldn't help but wonder how he could be so indifferent about this.

"But… Why?" Blaine finally asked.

"Like I said, you're talented, and people should know that."

"No, I get that… But what do you get out of it? Why would you do this for me? You'd just be used and unavailable…"

"Well, first off, I'm not being used to get famous if it was my idea and I'm okay with it, so don't worry about that. And second, it's probably best for me to be unavailable right now. I have a lot going on without having to worry about a boyfriend on top of that… Well, an actual boyfriend anyway. But it'll be nice to have a close friend, if you're up for it." Kurt got a little quieter towards the end, and Blaine wondered if Kurt was actually as sure about this as he led on.

"Are you… you're really sure? I mean… you don't have to do this for me. If—"

"How are you guys doing?" Shaun interrupted them while carrying a tray with their lunch.

"Great, this looks delicious." Kurt said in a cheery voice. Blaine looked up at Shaun and smiled as he set down his plate.

"Thank you," He said, watching Shaun refill their glasses.

"If you need anything just let me know, all right? Enjoy." Shaun gave a small wave and walked away. Both Kurt and Blaine started to pick slowly at their food as a tense silence fell between them. Finally, Blaine put down his fork and spoke up.

"Listen, Kurt, if you're just… if you're looking for a friend, I'll be happy to be there for you, but you don't need to do anything for me in return." Blaine said sincerely. Even with his introverted personality, Blaine took any close relationship very seriously. His seemingly budding friendship with Kurt was one that he would not mess up because Kurt felt like he needed to do something in return for someone to talk to.

"Yeah, yeah I'm sure." Kurt said quickly, putting down his fork and looking up at Blaine. "Trust me, I'm not just doing this because you're a charity case to me. You're not." Kurt reached across the table and surprised Blaine by laying a hand on his. Blaine froze for a second, but did not pull his hand away. "You… you seem like you could be a really good friend and I want everyone to know how great you are. Maybe I can give myself a pat on the back in the end for helping you get there."

Blaine smiled gently and turned his hand and gave Kurt's fingers a gentle squeeze of encouragement. It was a gesture that surprised him and filled him with warmth in a familiar way, one that he hadn't felt in a long time. Kurt returned the smile and had a subtle gleam in his eye.

"So… what do you say?" Kurt questioned in a soft tone.

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to try it out, right?" Blaine responded, making sure to keep his mind from wandering to the familiar feeling tingling in his fingers.

"Are you sure?" Kurt squeezed his fingers in assurance.

"Wait… I think we should talk about this first." Blaine said, pulling his hand away slightly and already regretting feeling the cool air on his skin that came with the loss.

"Didn't we just do that?" Kurt asked, sitting back in his seat and pulling his hand back to fiddle with his napkin.

"No, I mean… our 'relationship'." Blaine clarified using air quotes.

"What about it?"

"It's strictly for the media, right?" Blaine asked a little hesitantly.

"Yes." Kurt said simply.

"Just holding hands and stuff for the crowd?"

"Well…" Kurt glanced away for a moment then looked back up at him. "I can't really claim you're my boyfriend and not kiss you…"

"That's what I meant. Holding hands, kissing, just small displays of affection?" Blaine felt the conversation falling into an awkward state too fast.

"Yes, that's what this would be. And we can go back to being friends behind closed doors."

"Okay…" Blaine trailed off.

"Anything else?" Kurt prompted. Blaine took a breath.

"Can we just…"

"Just say it, Blaine." Kurt said when Blaine trailed off and didn't seem to have any plans to continue.

"I just don't want this 'relationship' to make things awkward between us. Can we just promise each other that it won't get uncomfortable? That we'll stay friends and our relationship will stay platonic even when this is over, whether or not this works out?" Blaine watched Kurt's expression fade to an unreadable one.

"Okay, yeah. Yeah, deal." Kurt nodded as he spoke.

"Deal? Are you sure?" Blaine raised his eyebrows in question.

"If you are." Kurt's expression changed once more, but he seemed sincere now.

"Thank you." Blaine said with a small smile. He picked up his fork again and began to eat his mostly untouched lunch.

"I'm just helping you out here," Kurt followed Blaine's lead and began to eat as well. The heavy, serious atmosphere lifted a little and their tones were more casual again.

"I'm really grateful for that. So… when do we start?" Blaine asked in between bites.

"Whenever you want I guess," Kurt replied. "I think we should just stick to the story about how we met; I saw you after one of your shows here and we really hit it off."

"Good. I don't think I could lie about anything else anyway." Blaine said honestly.

"Okay then, good. We should probably ease this into the media… Let everyone speculate for a while and then we can announce it at some event." Kurt took a bite of his meal and looked at Blaine waiting for an answer.

"How do we do that? Do we just kind of hang out and let the paparazzi catch us?" Blaine raised an eyebrow.

"Pretty much… we may have to take it a little slow, at least in the beginning." Kurt said. He paused and bit his lip. "For now maybe we should spend time together out of sight of the paparazzi? Just as friends, but that way we can kind of get to know each other a little more before we get into this?"

"Yeah, yeah that should work… I can do this." Blaine dropped his gaze and let out a breathy "I think." That did not go past Kurt.

"What are you nervous about?"

"Same old things… People mostly. I'm just… too introverted." Blaine sighed. He felt like he was just going to end up embarrassing Kurt in some way. He'd probably be so nervous on the red carpet that he'd throw up all over a reporter. Wouldn't that be a story.

"But look how much you've already opened up to me," Kurt noted sincerely.

"Yeah but… I don't know."

"I told you, people will love it. Seeing you so strong on stage and then all adorable and blushing and flustered the second you leave will make people love you even more. You'll seem like a normal guy with stage fright. People will like it. I did." Kurt remarked. Blaine could tell he was trying to help, but this still felt wrong, like he was using Kurt, even if he had the idea in the first place.

"It's not really stage fright though… it's people fright." Blaine unconsciously curled in on himself, looking uncomfortable.

"Well, we'll get through it," Kurt said lightly, picking up his fork. "For now, we're going to play twenty questions."

"Why?" Blaine reached for his fork once more as well.

"Because we are now officially 'dating' and I need to know things about my boyfriend." Kurt had a gleam in his eyes as if he were about to unlock the juiciest secrets about Blaine Anderson. Blaine almost visibly gulped.

"Boyfriend." He repeated. "That sounds weird."

"Better get used to it." Kurt smirked.

* * *

"So what's you favorite color?" Kurt asked as he finished his lunch.

"Green." Blaine responded without missing a beat. Kurt's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Well that was a quick response," he chuckled. "Any particular shade of green that you like best?" He wondered.

"A lighter green. Kind of like… A light mossy color I guess. They're—_it's _hard to describe." Blaine averted his eyes in hopes that Kurt would not press the matter. He knows he slipped, but he doesn't want to share this with Kurt.

Kurt watched him closely for a moment before speaking. "I'm not… keeping you from anything with this deal, am I?" He questioned. "Because you don't have to agree to date me if I'm interfering with… anything." Blaine froze at his words. Was he really that obvious? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears from appearing at such an inopportune time.

"No, no trust me. It's—you're not interfering." Blaine finally said. Kurt seemed to understand and didn't push. Blaine let out a silent thank you to whoever was listening, and finally got a hold of himself. Maybe he could open up to Kurt about it one day, but definitely not when they had just met.

"How was everything?" Shaun asked as he approached the table just after Kurt and Blaine had finished eating.

"It was wonderful, thank you." Kurt said smiling.

"Yeah, thanks Shaun," Blaine agreed.

"Can I get you anything else, or would you like the check?"

"I'm all set, are you?" Kurt turned to Blaine.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll take the check, Shaun." Blaine offered, reaching out for the black envelope Shaun was about to hand him. Kurt snatched it away before Blaine got the chance to grab it.

"You will not." Kurt used an authoritative yet friendly voice. "I asked you out to lunch, it's my treat." He slipped a credit card into the envelope and passed it back to Shaun before Blaine got the chance to protest. Instead, he sat there with a dumbstruck look on his face before realizing just how idiotic he must look. He cleared his throat and gave Kurt a slight nod.

"Thanks," He said quietly.

"You can get the next one, if you feel the need." Kurt smiled at him in a teasing manner.

"We're probably going to be going out on a lot of dates, aren't we?" Blaine asked with a light laugh, already knowing the answer.

"At least until it's official that we're dating." Kurt explained with a shrug. "We can make a lot of those coffee dates, if you like. That way we can make a quick getaway if we really need to."

"Okay, that works," Blaine was starting to feel a little better about this. He figured once he got to know Kurt more he would be more comfortable with the whole thing. He took a sip of what was left of his water and looked back at Kurt.

"So… What's your favorite color?" He asked Kurt. He wanted to know as much about Kurt as Kurt knew about him.

"Oh, I can't choose a favorite. Sapphire, maybe? It depends on the season, really. Or what's in style." Kurt smiled.

"I should've known you were into fashion." Blaine laughed.

"I live for it!" Kurt's face lit up, and Blaine knew he hit the right topic. Kurt rambled on about different style trends and his favorite designers. He told Blaine about his love for fashion ever since he was young and how he used to take his girlfriends shopping so he could save them from their god-awful wardrobe choices. Blaine smiled and commented in the appropriate places and just listened. He was finding that he genuinely liked Kurt. He liked listening to how confident he sounded and how passionate he was.

"I'm boring the hell out of you, aren't I?" Kurt stated.

"No, no of course not. I'm actually finding this really amusing. Animal print sweaters, huh?" Blaine laughed. "Even I wasn't that bad in high school."

"Yes, well Rachel Berry has since had a little bit better of an eye for fashion." Kurt rolled his eyes playfully. Blaine's jaw dropped in shock.

"Wait, _Rachel Berry_, as in the _Tony Award _winner? _That _Rachel Berry?" Blaine asked incredulously.

"The very same! We went to high school together and moved to New York together after graduation. I was there for a year or so until I went to the open casting call for the movie _Secret Sides _and I moved out here when I got the part. But yes, Rachel's fashion sense was a train wreck in high school." Kurt laughed at the memory, then said, "I didn't know you were a Broadway fan."

"Really? I love Broadway! I thought about going into theater, but I decided on music instead." Blaine said sheepishly. Kurt, however, seemed very impressed.

"Well you definitely seem like the kind of person who could pull it off," Kurt noted, then paused for a moment. "What do you mean you weren't 'that bad' in high school? Did you have a horrible fashion sense that could rival Rachel Berry's?"

"Well I went to a prep school with uniforms so there weren't many days I could wear whatever I wanted, but I had an interesting fashion sense back in the day…" Blaine glanced away.

"Don't tell me… God you didn't wear stained tank tops and baggy pants did you?" Kurt looked almost mortified.

"No, I had more style than that… just an interesting one." Blaine laughed.

"All right… Please tell me you didn't try to rock the Fruit of the Loom t-shirts and faded jeans." Kurt's expression was one of horror, and Blaine couldn't help but laugh again.

"Nope!"

"You weren't trying to bring back clothes from another decade were you?" Kurt questioned. Blaine shook his head. "Okay, what was it? How bad?"

Blaine looked up at Kurt. "I feel like I'm about to be judged."

"You are." Kurt said with a smirk.

"Well, as long as that's cleared up…" Blaine said caustically. "I had an unhealthy obsession with bowties and sweater vests." He glanced at Kurt nervously. Kurt started giggling.

"Oh, this I have to see. Did you have suspenders, too?" Blaine blushed.

"Maybe." Blaine said quietly, unable to look at Kurt.

"All right, you definitely need to show me pictures of this now." Kurt said, keeping his laughter under control. "But I have to say, you made it sound like you were tying sweatshirts around your waist. I was expecting much worse."

"I wasn't that hopeless." Blaine laughed.

"Dressing like an eighty year old while you were a teenager? I guess it's not terribly hopeless. It's all kinds of adorable. At least you grew out of it. Otherwise I'd have to rearrange your entire wardrobe before we started dating."

"Oh, come on, you can't tell me you never had a phase where your fashion sense took a downward spiral." Blaine provoked, knowing there had to be something he could dish out.

"All right, fine. But tell a soul and I will one hundred percent deny it. I've destroyed all evidence from those dark days." Kurt warned. Blaine nodded and leaned forward, waiting. "I had this phase in my sophomore year of high school where I started to get jealous that my dad was spending so much time with my stepbrother. I thought it might be because they had more in common since he was straight, so I went around trying to convince everyone I was straight as well, which included a change in my wardrobe."

"Oh, dear." The anticipation was nearly killing Blaine. He knew this had to be good.

"Flannel. Plaid flannel and baseball caps." Kurt muttered.

"No." Blaine said in mock horror.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Oh, that is too good." Blaine laughed, trying to picture Kurt in ill-fitting flannel and a baseball cap covering his neatly coiffed hair. Kurt rolled his eyes and laughed along with him.

"If you ever repeat that I will never speak to you again." Kurt said in between giggles. Blaine smiled and couldn't help but notice how easy it was to talk to Kurt. Maybe it was because the topic was light and not too in depth, but Blaine figured it was more than that. He wasn't stupid. He'd been through this before, the easy conversation filled with laughter. Kurt was almost as easy to talk to as…

"Well I really hate to end this… but are you ready to go?" Kurt asked. "I just feel bad because we're taking up one of the tables and we finished lunch a while ago." Blaine cleared his throat and nodded.

"Yeah, that's fine." He was suddenly nervous again. "So, um… when should we get together again? You know, outside of the public…?"

"Oh! Well, we can figure something out… Here, give me your phone." Kurt held his palm out and Blaine fished in his pocket for his cell phone before he handed it to Kurt. Kurt programmed his number in and passed it back to Blaine, along with his own. Blaine wordlessly typed in his number and handed the phone back to Kurt.

"What do you think about sometime this week? Or even earlier if you'd like." Kurt supplied, beginning to stand up from his chair.

"That's fine by me." Blaine replied, following Kurt through the restaurant. Once they reached the door, they stood still in the corner for a moment, looking at each other and trying to decide what to do.

"I'll see you soon?" Kurt asked.

"Yes." Blaine answered, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Perfect. Bye, Blaine!" Kurt stood for a moment, as if he was trying to make a decision, but instead he turned with a wave over his shoulder. Blaine exhaled as soon as Kurt was out of sight.

"So!" Kayleigh exclaimed and startled Blaine as he watched Kurt turn a corner at the end of the block. "How was the date?" she said in a sing-song voice with a wink.

"It wasn't a date!" Blaine immediately defended. At least at the beginning it wasn't… Towards the end, that's what it seemed like it turned into. Blaine blushed at the thought, which unfortunately did not go unnoticed by Kayleigh.

"I know that face! Spill!"

"We're just friends; that's it." Blaine said with finality, Kayleigh rolled her eyes and headed back to the podium a few feet away.

"For now." She mocked. Blaine, not knowing what he could really say to that seeing as it was half-true, shrugged his shoulders with a wave and a farewell. He was going to get an earful from her once he and Kurt were "official."


	4. Chapter 4

Blaine was surprised to be getting a phone call while he was filing papers at the studio on Monday morning. He was even more surprised to see whose name was lighting up the screen. He ducked into the back corner of the break room before answering.

"Hello?" Blaine answered.

"Good morning!" Kurt's cheery voice echoed through the phone.

"Good morning to you, too." Blaine laughed at how awake and happy Kurt sounded. "To what do I owe the pleasure of a very bright and breezy Kurt Hummel on a Monday morning?"

"It's not that early, it's almost noon!" Kurt laughed, and Blaine wondered what made him chirpy this morning. They hadn't spoken since Saturday, but Blaine figured Kurt was busy and didn't want to bother him. He decided to let Kurt call him when he was ready.

"Anyways," Kurt continued, "I was wondering when your next show at Gio's is. I'd like to go again, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind; I can't believe you actually want to come..." Blaine said truthfully. "I'm playing tomorrow night at seven if you think you can make it to that one. If not, I think I'm playing Friday too. I have to double check with Gio if he got a cover for Thursday because I'm playing at Sal's Tavern on Thursday I think… I'll have to check my messages and make sure it was confirmed." Blaine mentally face palmed when he realized he was rambling. Over the weekend, he questioned many times why Kurt even paid him any attention.

"I'd love to come tomorrow night!" Kurt exclaimed. "Maybe I'll stop by the tavern on Thursday too, if I can make it. Keep me updated with your shows, I love watching you perform." Blaine felt his insides squirm with delight at Kurt's words. He knew he had a good audience who enjoyed him, but it meant a lot to have a personal connection with someone who liked to hear him play.

"I will." Blaine promised. "So I'll see you tomorrow night, I guess?"

"That you will!" Kurt answered. "I'll let you get back to work now, I don't want to keep you."

"Thanks. See you later, Kurt."

"See you tomorrow, Blaine!" Kurt said happily and Blaine ended the call. He had a small smile on his face as he pocketed his phone and went back to his desk. He didn't know what it was, but there was something about Kurt.

* * *

_I'm just saying it's fine by me  
If you never leave  
And we can lay like this forever  
It's fine by me_

_In the past I would try  
Try hard to commit to a girl  
Wouldn't get too far  
It always somehow seemed to fall apart_

_But with you, you, you  
I can see what I need  
I can dream realistically  
I knew that this was different from the start_

Blaine continued to strum his guitar on the stage at Gio's, but his mind kept floating elsewhere. He sang and played on autopilot, wondering if Kurt had actually showed. Blaine hadn't spoken with him since the phone call on Monday, and he hadn't seen his face as he scanned the crowd. That wasn't the most reliable way to see if he was there, but Blaine couldn't help but search.

_And it seems that every time  
We're eye to eye  
I can find another piece of you  
That I don't wanna lose_

_And I'm staring at you now  
There's no one else around  
I'm thinking you're the girl I need_

_I'm just saying it's fine by me  
If you never leave  
And we can lay like this forever  
It's fine by me_

Blaine played a few more songs before wrapping up his set and heading backstage. When he made his way into the room, he was not expecting to bump into Kurt just inside the door.

"Kurt!" Blaine exclaimed. "Uh, sorry." He apologized for bumping into him and kept his eyes downcast. "You came." He pointed out.

"Of course I did, dummy. I told you I wanted to hear you play! I just asked Gio if it was all right if I stayed back stage instead so I didn't interrupt anything." Kurt laughed as he followed Blaine into the room. "That was a really good show, by the way." He added as he sat down.

"Thanks." Blaine nodded appreciatively, putting his guitar away. "I play here so often that I have to switch it up a lot, I don't want anything to get too repetitive."

"Honestly, with a voice as mesmerizing as yours, I wouldn't notice if you sang nursery rhymes over and over." Kurt laughed and sat down on the couch. Blaine blushed and mumbled an awkward "thanks" before packing up his things. Kurt was about to break the silence when he was interrupted by a knock on the open door.

"Excellent as always, Blaine!" Gio exclaimed as he strolled into the room. Blaine turned and was pulled into the usual post-performance hug from Gio. He continued gathering his things as Gio turned to Kurt.

"Everything back here was okay for you?" He asked Kurt.

"Oh, yes it was perfectly fine. Thank you for letting me stay back here, I appreciate it." Kurt smiled warmly.

"As long as you're comfortable you're welcome to stay in the back to watch our performers anytime!" Gio turned back to Blaine to confirm Friday night, and then left the room to go check on the kitchen.

Blaine had just grabbed his jacket when Kurt spoke up again.

"So… I don't know if you had any plans after this, but have you eaten anything yet?" Kurt stood up and grabbed Blaine's messenger bag to hand it to him.

"I had a small dinner earlier, but nothing substantial, why?" Blaine took his bag from Kurt with a mumbled "thanks" and slung it over his shoulder before grabbing his guitar case.

"I have a wonderful selection of cheese and crackers at my house if you'd like to come over for a bit. If you're not busy, I mean." Kurt added quickly.

"Sure, yeah." Blaine smiled and gestured for Kurt to lead the way. When Kurt started to walk down the corridor that led to the front door through the bar, Blaine grabbed his hand.

"It's probably best if we go out the back…" Blaine said, leading Kurt in the other direction.

"Oh, yeah. Probably better. Lead the way." Kurt smiled and Blaine pulled him along. Blaine barely noticed the contact until they reached the back door, when he finally realized that he had yet to let go of Kurt's hand. He immediately released his light grip and started to apologize, but Kurt cut him off.

"There's no sense in apologizing. We're going to have to get used to it anyway." Kurt smiled and pulled his keys out of his pocket. "Did you drive here?"

"Yeah, my car's in the garage across the street." Blaine replied. He was still thinking about the warmth he had felt when he held Kurt's hand. It had felt so natural to him. He was honestly glad Kurt wasn't fazed by it at all. They had to be comfortable with each other if they were going to make this work. "Should I follow you there, or…?" Blaine trailed off, heading towards the parking garage with Kurt next to him.

"I'm in the garage too, so that's fine. I'll text you my address, just in case." Kurt took out his phone and started typing on it as they left the small back door alley to Giovanni's.

When they arrived at the garage they went their separate ways to their cars, and Blaine took a deep breath. They were just friends. Sort of. He shook his head and unlocked his car and put his guitar on the backseat before climbing into the driver's seat.

* * *

Kurt waited for Blaine at the front door when they arrived at his house. To Blaine's surprise, it was actually a relatively small house just outside of the city. Kurt smiled as he unlocked the door and gestured for Blaine to enter first. Blaine walked in and could already tell that it was Kurt who lived here; the simple and tasteful design of the walkway alone was exquisite.

"Do you do interior design in your spare time?" Blaine asked as he toed his shoes off.

"Not really, but I had a lot of fun with this." Kurt shrugged his jacket off and hung it in the coat closet, reaching out for Blaine's right after. "It's not much, compared to some of my costars especially, but I like it. It's quiet and homey, which is good enough for me."

"I think it's perfect. Very you." Blaine said as he followed Kurt into the kitchen.

"Very me?" Kurt grabbed two glasses from the cabinet. "Would you like some water?"

"Sure. And yes, all of your decorations and everything just seem very… It's hard to describe. It's effortless and ostentatious at the same time. Well, no, maybe that's not the right word… I don't know, it just seems very you." Blaine looked away in attempt to conceal his reddening cheeks as Kurt handed him a glass of water.

"Well, thank you," Kurt smiled and held Blaine's gaze for a moment, then awkwardly cleared his throat. "Come on, I'll show you around."

Blaine followed Kurt all throughout his house, nodded his head and making appropriate comments at the proper times. It wasn't until they went into the living room that Blaine actually asked a question.

"Do you play?" He inquired, gesturing to the sleek, black upright piano in the corner of the room.

"A little. I used to play a lot when I was young, and I picked it back up in high school, but I'm not nearly as good as you." A grin spread across his face as he spoke.

"I doubt that." Blaine beamed at him. "Play something for me."

"Oh no, I'm not going to embarrass myself by attempting to play piano for a man with a fine arts degree." Kurt chuckled.

"Please?" Blaine practically begged with wide eyes and a big smile. Kurt's own eyes widened and he shook his head.

"Okay, new rule in this relationship." Kurt placed his water glass down on a coaster on the coffee table. "You are never allowed to make that face at me. That's just unfair."

"Why is it unfair?" Blaine tilted his head as he raised an eyebrow.

"Because you look like one of those puppies from the Sarah McLachlan commercials. There is no way I can ever say no to that." Blaine chuckled in response.

"Oh, well in that case," Blaine put on his best puppy face and looked at Kurt with wide eyes and a pouted lip. "Please play something for me?"

"I hate you." Kurt narrowed his eyes before turning on his heel and gently sitting down on the piano bench. Blaine's face broke into an excited grin and he plopped down next to Kurt.

"I swear you are like a five year old right now." Kurt laughed as he positioned his hands on the keys. Blaine watched intently; one of his favorite things to do was watch others play piano up close. It was one of the few things he could connect to people with.

"I just love watching other people play."

"You're about to be severely disappointed." Kurt sighed. Blaine looked at him and waited. "Okay, fine." Kurt took a breath and began to pluck out a melody. It took Blaine all of two seconds to realize that Kurt was actually playing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

"Oh, come on!" Blaine groaned.

"You never specified what I would have to play. You can't blame me for not wanting to play _Moonlight Sonata._" Kurt laughed. Blaine stuck his tongue out at him and began to idly play over the keys.

"I'll make you play something good for me one day." Blaine promised.

"What, my rendition of 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' wasn't good?" Blaine just looked at Kurt with a serious expression. "I'll be sure to practice regularly until that day comes." Kurt relaxed his shoulders and leaned back a little to allow more room for Blaine's hands to roam about the glossy black and white keys. "Besides, why should I play when I have my own personal concert pianist sitting next to me?"

"Because I like watching others play piano, and I want to see you play." Blaine replied simply, still absently playing a soft melody.

"Maybe someday." Kurt shifted down the bench a bit more, giving Blaine more room and easier access to the higher keys. "For now, you should play me a song."

"But you already heard me play tonight." Blaine's eyes left the piano but his fingers still moved in practiced patterns, travelling around the keys in front of him in memorized movements.

"Too bad, I want to hear more." Kurt gestured to the keys and flashed Blaine a big smile, one Blaine couldn't refuse.

"All right, all right…" Blaine rolled his eyes playfully and his fingers flowed gracefully into a soft, sweet melody.

_I just remembered, that time at the market  
snuck up behind me and jumped on my shopping cart  
And rode down, aisle 5  
you looked behind you to smile back at me  
crashed into a rack full of magazines  
they asked us if we could leave._

Blaine could feel Kurt watching him, but he kept his eyes downcast. He focused on his playing, even though he knew he didn't have to.

_Can't remember, what went wrong last September  
Though I'm sure that you'd remind me, if you had to_

_Our love was, comfortable and  
so broken in  
she's perfect, so flawless  
or so they say, say_

_She thinks I can't see the smile that she's fakin'  
and poses for pictures that aren't being taken  
I loved you  
grey sweat pants, no makeup, so perfect_

Blaine felt a sting behind his eyes, but held it back. He wouldn't let it out, not here. Kurt was his friend, and maybe at one point he'd share the story, but now was not the time. He blinked slowly and continued singing the soft lyrics.

_Our love was, comfortable and  
so broken in  
she's perfect, so flawless  
I'm not impressed, I want you back._

The piano faded as Blaine slowly finished the tune and finally gathered the courage to look over to Kurt. His expression was one Blaine hadn't seen in a long time. There was something there, something he'd only seen on the last person he was close to.

"That was beautiful." The corners of Kurt's mouth turned up and Blaine grinned back at him. "I feel like I know you better when I hear you play." Blaine ducked his head and blushed at that.

"Thanks," He half-whispered. "I don't… I get too into music to put up a mask."

"You shouldn't. It's nice to see you fade into the music." Kurt smiled. Blaine glanced up and realized just how close they were, and he could feel the heat creeping up his neck and into his cheeks once more.

"I… um… I should probably go. I have to get to work in the morning so…" He slid off the bench and stood up by Kurt.

"Rain check on the cheese and crackers then?" Kurt spun around on the bench as he asked.

"Oh! Yeah, yeah sure. Sorry." Blaine thought he should probably stay, but he didn't want to intrude.

"Don't worry about it, Blaine." Kurt stood up and smiled, following Blaine towards the door. "Thanks for coming over. And playing for me."

"Anytime," Blaine smiled sincerely, but on second thought he wondered if that was a promise he should actually make.

"I'll see you soon?" Kurt handed Blaine his jacket.

"Yeah, definitely." Blaine grinned. "Thanks for having me."

"Anytime." Kurt replied with a playful smirk. Blaine waved over his shoulder and closed the front door behind him. He breathed deeply. This was going to take some getting used to.

* * *

Songs in this chapter:  
Fine By Me - Andy Grammer  
Comfortable - John Mayer

Hope you enjoyed!


	5. Chapter 5

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as his thumb hovered over the send button. Blaine erased and rewrote the message at least four times before he actually deemed it okay to be sent. With another breath, he hit send and put his phone back in his pocket to continue working.

**New Message From: Blaine  
**I'm really sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have run out like I did. Can I make it up to you?

Blaine's phone buzzed in his pocket a few moments later.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**It's okay, really. Don't worry about it. :)

**New Message From: Blaine  
**You sure? I feel awful.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**It's okay, I understand. It's still kind of new. If you really feel that badly though, I wouldn't say no to coffee!

**New Message From: Blaine  
**When and where?

**New Message From: Kurt  
**What time is your lunch break? And do you know any places near you?

**New Message From: Blaine  
**12:30. There's a small coffee shop down the street from the studio, you can meet me there, if you like?

**New Message From: Kurt  
**Perfect, see you then!

**New Message From: Blaine  
**See you!

Blaine smiled slightly and put his phone away again. He kept glancing over at the clock throughout the morning as the hours ticked by at a dawdling rate. He felt terrible for running out last night, and he felt like he needed to apologize to Kurt.

* * *

"Hey, you made it! Listen, I'm really sor—"

"Don't worry about it, Blaine," Kurt smiled as they walked into the coffee shop. "I told you, I get it. Seriously, I'm not hurt or offended or anything. I understand."

"I just feel really bad that I ran out before we even really got to hang out and get to know each other." Blaine muttered guiltily.

"Well, we'll just have to reschedule, which is fine." Kurt's smile was infectious and Blaine's mouth turned upward as he approached the counter.

"What would you like?" Blaine asked Kurt as he dug out his wallet.

"Grande non-fat mocha, please." Blaine smiled and ordered Kurt's mocha and his medium drip. He paid the barista and was silent as she made their drinks. It wasn't until they sat down at a table in the back corner that they started up the conversation once more.

"So, Blaine Anderson, where are you from, anyway?" Kurt asked as he brought his coffee to his lips.

"Westerville, Ohio," Blaine replied. "I moved out here for my freshman year of college and liked it a lot better than the Midwest." Blaine hadn't noticed Kurt's eyes widen until he finished speaking. "… What?"

"I'm from Lima!" Kurt laughed as Blaine nearly choked on his coffee. "I moved to New York after graduation. That's so weird though, Westerville is only about… Oh, two hours from Lima, I believe."

"Wow. Where did you go to high school?" Blaine was actually very intrigued. The two of them grew up so close to one another.

"William McKinley, in Lima. I thought about transferring during my junior year because of some… complications at school, but that didn't happen. Everything worked itself out after a lot of conferences and I stayed." Kurt took another sip of his coffee and Blaine could tell the topic was one he should save for another day. He chose to comment on what Kurt said before that.

"Where were you going to transfer to?"

"Not too far from you, actually. I was going to transfer to that private school in Westerville, Dalton Academy." This time Blaine really did choke on his coffee. It took an embarrassing two minutes for him to be able to breathe correctly again when he finally spoke.

"I went to Dalton!" He exclaimed in between coughs. "I started mid-way through my freshman year and graduated from there." Kurt's jaw dropped and he was speechless. After a few minutes he regained his composure.

"You're kidding." Blaine just shook his head. "Did you know anyone in the Warblers by the name of Wes? I never got his last name, but he and another guy named David caught me spying on them for my glee club once."

"That was _you_?" Blaine asked incredulously. Kurt smirked and nodded.

"I take it you know them?"

"They were my best friends, actually. Wes and David told me all about you after classes that day. I remember Wes saying some kid in a black jacket and a red tie pretended to be a new student but he saw right through you."

"I did the best I could on such short notice. It's not my fault I didn't have access to the uniform." Kurt shrugged. "So were you in the Warblers too?"

"No, Wes and David tried for years to get me to audition. They told me I'd probably sing lead if I joined, but I never did." Blaine shrugged.

"Why not? You could have led them to nationals with a voice like yours!" Kurt protested.

"Probably not, but I was too nervous to audition. I didn't really think I'd ever be able to sing in front of a crowd until my senior year, and by then it was too late anyway." Blaine sipped his coffee as Kurt spoke.

"Weird that you had so much stage fright, yet now you want to pursue exactly that." Kurt raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

"Well, being in a show choir would be different. Being in the Warblers would be about the Warblers, about the whole group. When it's just me, it's about the music." Kurt nodded in understanding. Blaine figured he knew what it was like, being in a high school show choir himself. "Plus, the real reason I want to get out there is so I can just play music all day and have something come from it instead of living on the street." Both men laughed and sipped their coffees.

"It's so weird that we could have met in high school. I probably would have met you had I been in the Warblers." Blaine shook his head in disbelief and sighed. "Who'd have thought we'd end up meeting several years later thousands of miles away from Ohio?"

"Small world." Kurt commented with a small laugh. Blaine checked his watch and frowned.

"I'm sorry, but I really have to get back. Let me know when we can reschedule that cheese and crackers date." Blaine pushed his chair back and stood up, draining the remainder of his coffee.

"Wait, what are you doing tomorrow night?" Kurt followed suit and walked with Blaine to the door.

"I have a show pretty late at Sal's Tavern. I don't think I'm on until ten." Blaine said apologetically.

"So I guess tomorrow wouldn't work then?"

"Not unless you'd like to hang out after I'm done. I don't know when that'll be." Blaine stopped beside the wall of a building where he'd have to turn the corner to get back to work.

"Give me a call when you're done and I'll let you know." Kurt smiled once more and Blaine noticed him looking around, but he didn't comment on it.

"I guess I'll see you later then?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, see you." Before Blaine could react, Kurt leaned in and pecked his lips softly against Blaine's cheek. He pulled away with a light grin and turned away without another word. Blaine was frozen in place; his cheeks were burning, particularly in the spot where Kurt's lips had just been. Blaine let out the breath he hadn't yet released and closed his eyes for a moment. It was so familiar, yet different. But different wasn't bad. It was the best kind of different, Blaine decided. He breathed deeply once more and opened his eyes, trying to clear his head as he made his way back to work.

* * *

_Know it sounds funny but I just can't stand the pain  
Girl, I'm leaving you tomorrow  
Seems to me girl, you know I've done all I can  
You see I begged, stole and I borrowed, yeah_

_Ooh, that's why I'm easy  
I'm easy like Sunday morning  
That's why I'm easy  
I'm easy like Sunday morning_

_Why in the world would anybody put chains on me?  
I've paid my dues to make it  
Everybody wants me to be, what they want me to be  
I'm not happy when I try to fake it, no_

Blaine decided quickly that he really enjoyed playing at Sal's. The atmosphere was charged with energy built from the alcohol consumed by each patron in the bar. Everyone sang along if they knew the words, and some people (in their highly inebriated state) sang along even if they didn't. It was more like he was playing with the crowd, and not for them.

_Ooh, that's why I'm easy  
I'm easy like Sunday morning  
That's why I'm easy  
I'm easy like Sunday morning_

_I wanna be high, so high  
I wanna be free to know  
The things I do are right  
I wanna be free, just me, babe_

_That's why I'm easy  
I'm easy like Sunday morning  
That's why I'm easy  
I'm easy like Sunday morning_

Blaine smiled and thanked the crowd as he finished strumming out his last song, then quickly packed up his things. It still wasn't too late, so he figured he may be able to give Kurt a call. As he loaded his things into the backseat of his car, he scrolled through his contacts to the number he was looking for. Kurt picked up on the second ring.

"Why hello there, Mr. Anderson! Finished with your pub shenanigans so soon?" Kurt's voice was cheerful and light, and Blaine could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Pub shenanigans?" Blaine asked with a laugh.

"I'm guessing that means you didn't stay for a drink, then?" Kurt didn't sound convinced.

"I am a professional! I'm not going to go and get shitfaced in the bar right after I finish my set!" Blaine pretended to be offended, but couldn't hide the smile in his fake protests.

"Mm, eloquent too." Kurt teased. "So are you headed home now or were you going to go to a _different _bar to get, quote unquote, 'shitfaced'?"

"I'm definitely not doing the latter… I don't respond well to copious amounts of alcohol…" Blaine realized he was about to go into forbidden territory and quickly changed the subject. "I was actually wondering what you were up to right now…" Not knowing what do, Blaine fumbled with his keys in his fingers, waiting for Kurt to answer.

"Currently I'm reorganizing some old bins I have in the basement, but that can wait. Would you like to help me finish the cheese and crackers I _slaved_ over on Tuesday for us?" Blaine laughed at Kurt's dramatic extension of the word and responded.

"I'd love to. I'm leaving now so I'll be there soon." Blaine put his keys in the ignition and started the car.

"All right, see you soon!" Blaine hung up and tossed his phone on the passenger seat as he shifted gears and headed to Kurt's house, a route that he very quickly committed to memory.

When he arrived at the front door, he barely knocked twice before the door swung open to a smiling Kurt.

"Hi! Think you can help me?" Kurt ushered Blaine in and led him to the kitchen after he hung up his jacket.

"With what?" Blaine asked, a little perplexed.

"My bottle opener broke, and I can't get this cork out," Kurt handed Blaine a bottle of Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon.

"What's this for?" Blaine asked, twisting the corkscrew a little more so he could get a good grip on it.

"I figured I should butter you up a little bit so maybe you won't be so shy. Then I'll have you spilling all of your secrets!" Kurt winked and began arranging the cheese and crackers on a platter.

"Oh," was the only response Blaine could offer.

"I'm kidding, Blaine! You're actually a lot more talkative than you were when we first met." Kurt supplied.

"You're… easy to talk to." Blaine murmured as he finally pulled the cork out of the bottle.

"Well good, that makes this," Kurt gestured between the two of them, "easier." He grabbed two empty wine glasses and balanced the tray on his arm as he circled around the island in his kitchen. "Can you grab the wine, please?" He asked as he led Blaine into the living room. They sat next to each other on the couch at a respectable distance and Kurt poured the two of them wine when Blaine finally spoke up.

"I guess you really did slave over this," He commented, grabbing a slice of cheese and a cracker.

"Well I always take preparing any type of food seriously," Kurt handed Blaine a glass half full of wine. They clinked their glasses together and took a sip, a silent toast to their new friendship.

"And he cooks too!" Blaine said enthusiastically. Kurt laughed and shrugged.

"Well for a while, my dad and I were on our own. It was either learn to cook, or eat Happy Meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Not that I wasn't eager to learn, but I was eight so… Needless to say my first attempt at paella didn't go so well."

"Just you and your dad?" Blaine knew it was probably not his place to ask, but he wanted to get to know Kurt.

"My mom died when I was eight years old—"

"Oh, Kurt, I'm sorry! You don't have to—" Blaine started.

"No, it's okay. I want to tell you." Blaine nodded and Kurt continued. "So up until he got remarried when I was seventeen it was just the two of us. It was a weird change; all of the sudden our family doubled, but it actually was a nice change. I had more support than ever in high school, which is one of the reasons I ended up staying instead of transferring." Kurt gave a soft smile before taking a bite of a cracker.

"I take it you like your stepmother, then?" Blaine smiled.

"I adore her. I actually was the one who introduced my dad to her…" Kurt blushed slightly under a shy smile and Blaine looked at him knowingly.

"There's a story behind that." He pointed out. "Care to share?"

"It's a rather embarrassing story, but… I had a stepbrother named Finn. He graduated with me, and well… My naïve sophomore mind was convinced that introducing our parents would give me a valid excuse to spend more time with him." Kurt ducked his head and was now blushing a deep crimson, and Blaine picked up on it right away.

"Aww you had a crush him!" Blaine teased. Kurt grabbed the nearest throw pillow and hit Blaine on the arm with it.

"I got over it very quickly, I assure you that." Kurt rolled his eyes and took another sip of wine. "We had a bit of a… falling out at one point. It was settled soon after, and we became each other's support systems, but at that point I wondered how I was ever attracted to him. Not that he was unattractive, just… not my type."

"How so?" Blaine asked.

"Well for one, he was straight, so there in lies a problem. And two, he was the epitome of a stereotypical teenage boy. A sweaty, muddy jock who couldn't care less about cleanliness and healthy eating and anything remotely related to fashion. I still loved him all the same though." Kurt sighed with a melancholy smile. Blaine loved listening to Kurt talk about his family. He opened up and didn't hesitate one bit. Blaine wondered if this was how Kurt felt when he listened to him sing when it dawned on him.

"I don't want to overstep but… you used the past tense when talking about him." Blaine commented carefully.

"I did." Kurt confirmed. "He died when we were nineteen. It was really sudden and out of the blue and my whole family was really torn up for a while. He had just started to find himself and decided he wanted to be a teacher…"

"Oh, Kurt, I'm so sorry." Blaine put down his wine glass and reached over to take Kurt's hand, feeling a gentle squeeze as he held it.

"Thanks. It's hard sometimes, but I know he'd be proud of where I am now and that helps a lot. Even though he's not here, he's still my rock." Kurt smiled sadly and took a sip of his wine. "So what about your family?" He changed the subject, twisting to sit more comfortably against the couch while still facing Blaine.

"There's really not much to tell. My parents are both business people, and they're very involved in their respective businesses. They've always supported me, but our relationship is almost like a professional relationship. They're kind of distant. I love them and they love me, we just have a different way of showing it I guess. My brother Cooper is different though; he's always been there for me in a more affectionate way. Even when he's kind of hard on me… I know he'll be there for me whenever I need him."

"He sounds great. Is he older than you?"

"By about eight years." Blaine nodded. "He's in Europe right now. He's always wanted to travel there, so he took a spontaneous trip."

"I have to admit I'm more than a little jealous." Kurt chuckled around a bite of cheese and cracker. "So what does he do?"

"He's an actor. Mostly just small roles and commercials and he's done a few voice overs, but nothing really big. He had a recurring role on a soap opera for a while but they killed his character after a season or something like that. I think he's working on an audition for a bigger role in an upcoming series, but I'm not sure." Blaine shrugged.

"Wait. Cooper Anderson? Did he do the commercials?" Kurt asked hesitantly.

"He used to a few years back… He's trying to get away from that now I guess. Why do you ask?" Blaine figured he probably already knew the answer, but asked anyway.

"I… may or may not have had a small crush on your brother in high school…" Kurt mumbled. Blaine rolled his eyes with a small grin.

"Didn't everyone?" He grabbed another cracker and began chewing silently, aware of the fact that Kurt was watching him.

"Sorry." Kurt finally uttered. Blaine looked up and saw concern in his eyes.

"For what?" Blaine's brow furrowed as he asked.

"For… well, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Kurt admitted.

"You didn't, don't worry. I became quickly used to that years ago. Now I just kind of find it funny." Blaine shrugged.

"That's twice you're laughing at my high school crushes tonight. Lovely." Kurt spat sarcastically. Blaine just laughed along and the conversation flowed further. Blaine was still surprised at how easy it was to talk to Kurt. He felt like Kurt was slowly becoming his best friend. After a while, he glanced at his watch and frowned. They had been talking for hours and hadn't realized how late it had gotten.

"I really hate to go, but I still have work in the morning." Blaine sighed and stood up, helping Kurt carry the platter and half empty bottle of wine back to the kitchen. "Thank you for having me over, and giving me a second chance at this."

"I'm glad I did," Kurt smiled, but there was something different about it, something Blaine couldn't quite see. "You're okay to drive, right?"

"I'll be fine; I only had that one glass over the past few hours. Trust me, I would _never_ get into a car if I didn't think it was safe for me to drive." Blaine paused as he slipped his shoes back on. "I guess I'll see you sometime soon, then?"

"I may be at Gio's tomorrow, so play something good," Kurt smiled and Blaine laughed in response.

"I'll do my best," Blaine was about half way out the door when Kurt grabbed his hand gently.

"Blaine?" Kurt looked up at him shyly through his eyelashes.

"Yes?" Blaine turned to face Kurt and held his breath. Kurt's eyes were shining a pale blue-green in the front porch light, with flecks of gold scattered around the pupil. Blaine was about to ask again, but his words were lost as Kurt pressed his soft lips against his own. Blaine let his body take control and relaxed into it briefly before Kurt pulled away again.

"Good night, Blaine." He smiled shyly once more.

"Y-yeah, um, good night." Blaine stammered idiotically. He waved to Kurt as he turned to his car, smiling as Kurt closed the front door behind him.

* * *

Song used:  
Easy - Lionel Richie

Also, super big thanks to my awesome beta, Shannon!


	6. Chapter 6

Kissing Kurt was… different. Not in a bad way, but not what he expected. Blaine hadn't allowed himself to think about it the entire way home, but as soon as he arrived at his apartment, all of his thoughts came rushing to his mind. He could still feel the tingly warmth of Kurt's lips on his own. His heartbeat was still quick and uneven, and his entire body felt stimulated.

It had been quick and chaste, just peck of the lips, but Blaine felt a thrill throughout his entire body just thinking about it.

But Blaine made a promise. He and Kurt were just friends.

Besides, he probably only felt this was because he hadn't been this close to someone since… Well, it had been a while. Blaine rationalized that he felt a shiver every time he thought about Kurt's soft lips against his own only because it was the first time in a long time that he was actually emotionally close to the person he had kissed.

That's all, nothing more.

Blaine was up most of the night because he couldn't think straight. Every time he took a breath he thought of Kurt's warm breath against his own. _Maybe it's the wine._ He rationalized once more. Thoughts kept clouding his mind as he tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable. The main problem was the comparison going back and forth in his mind. He felt guilty.

By the time he actually had to get up for work, he probably had a total of three hours of sleep, if that. Blaine was exhausted, but he pushed through the day anyway, surviving only by nursing several cups of coffee.

Blaine arrived at Giovanni's about half an hour before his set, so he went into the back room, as usual, but was surprised to see Kayleigh there.

"You look exhausted." She commented.

"Hello to you, too," Blaine rolled his eyes playfully. "What are you doing back here?"

"I'm not on for another fifteen minutes or so, I figured I'd come say hello before you went on, how are things? You look kind of… stressed." Kayleigh sat right up close to Blaine on the couch. It took a while for Blaine to get used to the closeness, but after a few years of knowing Kayleigh he was accustomed to her touchy-feely personality.

"I didn't get much sleep last night, I've got a lot on my mind I guess." Blaine shrugged, but he knew better. No doubt Kayleigh wouldn't let this go.

"Boy trouble?" She guessed. Blaine always wondered if he was that easy to read, or if Kayleigh just knew him too well.

"Am I that obvious?"

"Well no, but you haven't been out on a real date since Casey, and judging by the fact that Kurt Hummel's been to almost every one of your shows here since you guys had lunch that day, I'd say there's _something_ going on there." She looked at him expectantly.

"How did you—"

"I know things, Blaine. So are you gonna tell me what's going on? Or am I going to have to assume?"

"We're just friends." Blaine knew he didn't sound convincing.

"For now." Blaine tried to protest but Kayleigh ignored him. "So did you kiss him yet?" She said like an excited teenage girl.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in my personal life?"

"I'm _always _interested in your personal life, Blaine! Can't I get excited about this? I mean, it's been two years since you've actually been in a real relationship. I know you had a little downfall at first, but why not take a second chance at something special?" Kayleigh pleaded with her big, brown eyes.

"I'm sorry Kay, can we not talk about this now? I have to go on soon…"

"Right, sorry. I'll… We'll talk later, okay?" Kayleigh squeezed his shoulders from the side as he nodded. "I love you, you know." She whispered. Blaine smiled with watery eyes.

"I know; I love you, too. Thank you," Blaine hugged her back and blinked a few times to clear his eyes. Kayleigh gave him one last squeeze before she stood up and headed for the door.

"Break a leg, just like you always do!" Kayleigh smiled. "I'll be listening from—" She was cut off when she ran into someone just outside the door. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I—oh!" Blaine leaned over on the couch to see whom she ran into and realized why she was suddenly at a loss for words.

"No problem! I was just coming back here to watch Blaine," Kurt smiled and Kayleigh immediately whirled around to look at Blaine, who gave her a half smile in return. Kayleigh looked shocked but quickly composed herself and looked at Blaine with a smirk on her face.

"Well, I'll just get to my shift then. Have fun!" She winked and Blaine just shook his head with a laugh. Once Kayleigh left Kurt strolled into the room and sat across from Blaine.

"Hey," He smiled.

"Hi," Blaine started. "Sorry about her… she can be a little over the top at times."

"I'm used to over the top from Rachel. What was her name again? Kayleigh?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, Kayleigh. She's one of my best friends from college." Blaine began to unlatch his guitar case and started to get ready.

"So she's one of the few who knows you inside and out?" Kurt asked with a grin.

"One of the few." Blaine confirmed. "She kind of weaseled her way in, we were only acquainted before, but she got close when I needed her, so I'm grateful." Kurt nodded in response and hesitated for a few moments, then broke the silence.

"Listen, I'm sorry about last—"

"Kurt, it's fine. We have to get used to it right? Holding hands and kissing? It's okay." Blaine reassured him while checking to make sure his guitar was tuned.

"I should have said something though instead of just… I'm sorry." Kurt mumbled. Blaine was honestly surprised. Kurt was usually so out there and confident. He smiled at the sight of a shy and unsure Kurt.

"Really Kurt, it was fine. Your kissing me was fine. I mean—it wasn't _just _fine. You're not a bad kisser, or anything, I just mean the fact that you did it was okay and—"

"Blaine." Kurt stopped his rambling and Blaine blushed a deep red as he mumbled an apology. Kurt laughed again and was about to say something when Gio poked his head in the room.

"Sorry to interrupt, but you're up, Blaine!" Gio said with a bright smile. "And hello again, Kurt!" He nodded and left the room. Blaine picked up his guitar and made his way to the door to get to the small stage. Kurt followed him there and kissed his cheek lightly as he left.

"Break a leg!" Blaine blushed furiously once more and nodded as he walked out into the low spotlights. Kurt being so affectionate all of the sudden sparked a new fire in him as he sang his way through his set.

_Sittin' here, on this lonely dock  
Watch the rain play on the ocean top  
All the things I feel I need to say  
I can't explain in any other way_

_I need to bold  
Need to jump in the cold water  
Need to grow older with a girl like you  
Finally see you were naturally  
The one to make it so easy when you show me the truth  
Yeah, yeah I'd rather be with you  
Say you want the same thing too_

Blaine caught Kayleigh's eye during his final song and nearly rolled his own eyes at the look she was giving him. He wished he could explain the situation to her, but he knew that would only end with more fire from her end. He would have to hide the truth from her as much as the rest of the world.

_Now here's the sun, come to dry the rain  
Warm my shoulders and relieve my pain  
You're the one thing that I'm missing here  
With you beside me I no longer fear_

_I need to bold  
Need to jump in the cold water  
Need to grow older with a girl like you  
Finally see you were naturally  
The one to make it so easy when you show me the truth  
Yeah, yeah I'd rather be with you  
Say you want the same thing too_

Still, he couldn't help but think that maybe Kayleigh was right. Why shouldn't Blaine indulge himself a little bit? Maybe not in the exact way that Kayleigh had in mind, but he could allow himself comfort. Hopefully, at the end of all of this, he and Kurt could still remain friends. And maybe Blaine could let someone else in for a change. With Kurt, it didn't seem like such a bad idea.

_I could have saved so much time for us  
Had I seen the way to get to where I am today  
You waited on me for so long  
So now, listen to me say_

_I need to bold  
Need to jump in the cold water  
Need to grow older with a girl like you  
Finally see you were naturally  
The one to make it so easy when you show me the truth  
Yeah, yeah I'd rather be with you  
Say you want the same thing too_

_Say you feel the way I do._

Blaine left the stage and fiddled with his guitar strap after his set on the way back into the break room where Kurt was waiting with a big smile on his face.

"Lovely as usual!" Kurt went to hug him, which Blaine accepted easily. It didn't slip his mind that this was the first time they had actually hugged, and it felt warm and comforting.

"Thanks," Blaine said over Kurt's shoulder.

"Seriously, as soon as we get you out there, record companies will just be eating you up!" Kurt laughed and allowed Blaine to pack up his things. Blaine gave him a light smile and quickly packed up. Giovanni came in (as usual) to talk to Blaine and praise his excellent performance, and then Blaine was ready to leave when he looked at an awkward Kurt standing in the corner.

"Do you… have any plans tonight?" Blaine asked.

"No, did you want to do something?" Kurt stepped back to the center of the room. Blaine couldn't hold in the laugh. "What?" Kurt demanded with his hands on his hips.

"Nothing, just seeing you look shy and uncomfortable… it's not like the confident Kurt in front of the cameras. It actually makes me feel a lot better." Blaine admitted.

"Ah… well I wasn't always as confident as I seem. Gay teen in Ohio, remember?" Kurt laughed and grabbed his jacket.

"Right. Well, there's a café around the corner, do you want to get some coffee?" Blaine asked as he gathered up his things.

"Certainly!" Kurt articulated, seemingly eager to continue their conversation.

"Do you mind if we stop by my car first so I don't have to bring my guitar along?" Blaine turned to look over his shoulder at Kurt as he led the way out the back door.

"That's fine, no sense in carrying it around." They didn't talk much on the way into the parking garage or on the way to the café, but as soon as they ordered their drinks and slid into a back booth the conversation flowed like it usually did.

"So you said Kayleigh was a friend from college?" Kurt inquired about 20 minutes after they'd arrived.

"Yeah. We met during our sophomore year through a few mutual friends but we didn't get really close until our senior year. I was pretty good friends with her throughout college, but again with my shyness issues… she was persistent, though, and I can tell her almost anything now." Blaine hoped this topic wouldn't delve into anything too deep.

"Persistent how?"

"I had a fair amount of friends in college for my introverted personality, mostly just mutual friends and acquaintances. They knew me well enough but mostly just knew me from anything we did together in college. Nobody really had any real desire to dig underneath and see the real me except a few people, and Kayleigh was one of them. She's probably my closest friend, and one of the only people I still talk to from college."

"Why is that? If you don't mind me asking…" Kurt trailed off.

"I…" Blaine hesitated, but decided to give the filtered version. "I didn't have the best summer after college. I had to deal with a lot of things and had a really hard time doing so. I shut nearly everyone out, but Kayleigh wouldn't let me. I don't know what I'd do or where I'd be if she had given up on me, but I know I'd be a lot worse off than I was then." Blaine looked away and sipped his coffee, hoping Kurt would get the message. When he didn't respond for a few minutes, Blaine looked up to see him concentrating on the lid of his coffee cup, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

"You okay?" Blaine finally questioned.

"Yeah I'm fine…" He paused for a moment, and then continued, "Can I ask you something personal?"

"Should I be worried?"

"Well no, it's just… awkward for me to ask I guess… don't take this the wrong way, but, well… You've been in a relationship before, right?" Kurt mumbled uncomfortably, but he still looked him in the eye.

"That's not terribly awkward," Blaine was relieved it wasn't something worse. "And there's no reason for me to take it the wrong way either," he reassured. "I've had… a few relationships, yeah." Kurt let out a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't want that to come across the wrong way, but I was curious," he rushed out. "We just haven't really talked about it and I wanted to make sure you were comfortable with everything we've been doing and I didn't want you to feel like you don't deserve a good relationship just because this one's technically not real because everyone deserves a good relationship and now I'm rambling so I'm just going to shut up and drink my coffee and pretend like that never happened." Kurt's ears were bright red and his cheeks were darkening as he sipped his coffee and looked anywhere but at Blaine, who was chuckling silently to himself.

"Kurt?" Blaine said quietly and sincerely, just trying to get his attention. Kurt looked up at him slowly.

"You've been in a relationship before, too, right? I'm not taking that from you, am I?" He asked softly, worried that maybe the reason behind Kurt's rambling was because _he _felt that way about their relationship.

"No! No you're not taking that from me! I had a few boyfriends while I was in New York and one for a short while when I came here, so no, you're not taking that from me." Kurt reassured. "You will be the first boyfriend I've had since _Secret Sides _premiered though." He noted.

"I better be a good boyfriend, then. Apparently Kurt Hummel is hard to get." Blaine teased; glad the conversation had gone back to being relatively normal.

"Well you just got lucky," Kurt winked at Blaine while sipping his coffee. "Sorry, for asking you that." Kurt said after a minute when he put his coffee down. "I feel like I always make our conversations uncomfortable."

"It takes two to tango," Blaine shrugged. "Don't feel bad about asking me anything. If it's something I'm uncomfortable with, well, we can cross that bridge when we come to it." Blaine thought for a moment. "Besides, all couples have the awkward phase before their relationship right?" Blaine smirked. Kurt rolled his eyes in response.

"I thought since this relationship isn't actually real we get to skip all the awkward." Kurt quipped.

"Or we get the extra awkward." Blaine retorted with a smile in place. Kurt returned it in agreement as they sipped their coffees.

* * *

Song for the chapter:  
I'd Rather Be With You - Joshua Radin

Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

So now that this is all caught up with Scarves&Coffee the updates won't be as frequent. I do try to update every 5-7 days though, so the wait won't be too long!

Happy reading!

* * *

Blaine checked his watch as he drained his coffee, noticing that the café would be closing soon.

"Do you need to be home any time soon?" He asked Kurt, fiddling with the sides of his coffee lid.

"Not particularly, do you have plans?" Kurt drained the remainder of his coffee as well. Blaine shook his head and responded.

"Well my apartment is a little messy, but you could come back and watch a movie or something if you'd like…" Blaine shrugged.

"And pass up the opportunity to judge your interior decorating skills? Never!" Kurt laughed as he followed Blaine out.

"I wasn't the only one to decorate my apartment; just putting that out there." Blaine's smile faltered a bit, but thankfully Kurt didn't seem to notice.

"And who else am I supposed to blame for the either delightful or dreadful decorating?" Kurt quirked an eyebrow as they left the back entrance and made their way towards the parking garage.

"Uh… My old roommate." Blaine had a sort of finality in his tone and hoped Kurt wouldn't continue to question.

"So… should I just follow you this time?" Kurt took the hint and dug his keys out of his pocket.

"Yeah, I'll see you there." They parted and Blaine got into his car taking a deep breath. Bringing Kurt to his apartment meant pictures. No doubt Kurt and his bubbly and curious personality would ask. The thought of talking about his past with Kurt was something he found he was strangely okay with, just not yet.

When he arrived at his apartment, Kurt pulled in seconds after him and he waited on the sidewalk so he could lead the way up the stairs.

"Sorry about the mess," Blaine said as he turned the key in the lock once they got to his door. "I'm pretty sure there's sheet music everywhere. I've been writing a lot lately." He gave Kurt a half smile and opened the door, holding it for Kurt as he followed in behind. Blaine dropped his keys into the bowl on the table near the door and led Kurt through the apartment, picking up sheet music and guitar picks as he walked around, doing his best to tidy up.

"I'm actually impressed. It's cozy. I like it." Kurt nodded, taking in his surroundings. He looked at the life-like painting of the cherry tree in full bloom that Blaine had hung on the wall. It contrasted nicely with the dark painted walls, but Blaine hung it there for a different reason.

"Who's Chemp?" Kurt asked, pointing to the small, elegant signature blending in with the grass in the bottom left corner of the painting. Blaine closed his eyes as the memory washed over him briefly.

_"Why do you always sign on the left side of the painting? Aren't you afraid you're going to smudge the paint?" Blaine had asked from his position curled up on the couch behind the man in front of him who was sitting on the floor bent over the canvas he most recently smeared with color._

_"I've had enough practice to know I won't smudge it." The man looked back and smiled a warm, calm smile that always made Blaine feel like coming home. "And I always sign on the left side because your heart is on the left side of your body."_

"It's C. Hemp. My old roommate… Casey." Blaine shook his head to disperse the memory. He saw Kurt wander over to look at some of the pictures framed up on the wall. Something felt very wrong to Blaine all of the sudden. Kurt was looking at an old picture, but a very intimate one. Blaine was sitting side-by-side with Casey in the picture, both of them laughing and not looking at the camera, but you could tell both of their eyes were so bright and carefree. Neither of them knew that Kayleigh had snapped the picture, but it was one of Blaine's favorites. It felt wrong that Kurt was studying this picture, but Blaine wasn't sure why. It could be perhaps that Blaine felt like Kurt was interrupting something private, but something told Blaine it had more to do with the fact that Kurt didn't know who that other person was, or how important he was to Blaine.

"Is this him?" Kurt finally said, pointing to the picture. Blaine only nodded in response, afraid to speak. Kurt looked at the picture once more and a gentle smile spread across his face.

"I can see why green is your favorite color." Blaine nearly choked on air when Kurt said that, but he simply cleared his throat and changed the subject.

"Would you like something to drink?" Blaine asked as he turned the corner to enter the kitchen. Once out of sight, he pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and took a breath. He didn't know Kurt followed him.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." Blaine heard from behind him. He dropped his hands and turned to face Kurt.

"Don't. It's natural that you would. I'm sorry; it's just kind of been a rough night. Kayleigh and I were talking earlier and…" Blaine trailed off, sucking in a breath.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. We can just forget about it." Kurt walked towards Blaine and ducked his head to look into Blaine's downcast eyes. Blaine glanced into those bright blue eyes for a moment, then he shook his head.

"I will tell you, I want to, just… not right now. I haven't… It's been a while since I talked to someone new about it."

"Bad break up?" Kurt guessed, but his voice was compassionate.

"That's one way to put it, I guess." Blaine glanced away, then back up to Kurt.

"Take your time. Let's get some water and talk about something else okay?" Kurt reached over and squeezed Blaine's hand gently, and Blaine was thankful for the comfort.

* * *

For the next few hours they talked mindlessly about anything and everything that stayed on light topics. Eventually Kurt found himself talking about New York again, and the time he spent there with Rachel and all the crazy things they did in the time they were there. Kurt mentioned Finn again and Blaine interrupted.

"Oh, was Finn in New York with you guys?"

"Yeah, he and Rachel dated for a long time. He moved out to New York shortly after we did." Kurt replied, smirking at Blaine's shocked expression.

"Rachel dated your brother? That had to be a little bit weird." Blaine commented.

"A little, but I'd gotten used to it. They dated on and off in high school, and got engaged our senior year. It took both of their parents and the entire glee club to convince them to wait. They would have gotten married right after he moved to New York but they decided they wanted to wait and get settled a little bit so they could save money and plan it out. They never ended up getting married, though. Rachel was… She was devastated. She still has her engagement ring in a box on her dresser." Kurt spoke sadly.

"I—" Blaine didn't know what to say. He couldn't exactly say what he was feeling in that exact moment. Not without turning this onto himself. He wasn't ready for that, yet. "That must have been terrible for the both of you."

"We both kind of became this shell of ourselves. Rachel wouldn't speak to anyone for three weeks. I tried so hard to just forget about everything and we both just avoided each other until Santana—she was our friend from high school, and our roommate at the time—she dragged us out of our rooms and sat us down and we watched some old videos from glee club with Finn and… We couldn't stop laughing. We were up for hours talking about everything that happened with him in high school, from the time he broke Rachel's nose while dancing to when he decided that 'Drizzle' would be the perfect name for his baby…" Kurt paused. "Sorry, I'm rambling." He apologized and Blaine shook his head.

"It's okay; I really like listening to it." Blaine shifted on the sofa to make himself more comfortable as he faced Kurt. "So… Drizzle?"

Kurt laughed and nodded. "There was a lot of drama in my glee club in high school. Finn's best friend slept with his girlfriend and got her pregnant but she told Finn it was his. He found out a few months later, but in the mean time he was doing his best to prepare himself to be a father. He was always so goofy and well, that was what he came up with for their baby."

"That's… Kind of adorable. That he was trying so hard, I mean. Not a lot of guys in high school would take responsibility like that. I feel bad though… What happened with his friend? And the girlfriend wasn't Rachel, was it?" Blaine questioned, trying to wrap his head around something like that happening to him or one of his friends in high school.

"No, it wasn't. They were all still close after the whole thing blew over. There was always a lot of drama between the people in glee club. Most of it was because of people cheating on each other and stealing other people's boyfriends and girlfriends… that's why Finn and Rachel broke up and got back together so many times…" Kurt noticed Blaine's look of confusion and disbelief. "Sorry, I don't mean to bore you with the epic love stories and tragedies of my high school glee club."

"It's not boring, just surprising. Were you never involved with this boyfriend stealing?" Blaine raised an eyebrow at him.

"No, I was not. Other than my fruitless efforts of getting Finn's attention early on in my sophomore year—oh, shut up!" Kurt hit Blaine's arm playfully when he snickered. "Other than that I didn't have much luck with love in high school. I had to wait to get to the big city for that. I still found the time to meddle in some relationships though. Mostly just to make sure my friends were happy."

"That's awfully sweet of you," Blaine commented.

"Well I can't help it. I've always been a hopeless romantic." Kurt gave an innocent smile and shrugged lightly.

"Yet you're fake-dating me?" Blaine furrowed his eyebrows and smirked.

"It will make for a beautiful love story to the press. You just wait." Kurt nodded firmly, and Blaine tried to hold in his shaking laughter in response. "I can't believe you're laughing! Come on, it's a classic romance tale!" Kurt defended.

"A celebrity dating a nobody to help him get famous? Very classic." Blaine agreed with a hint of sarcasm.

"No, I meant the whole separate lives kind of thing. Nearly every classic romance has a couple that comes from two totally different backgrounds. You can't deny that."

"True. All right, so let's say we create this 'epic love story'," Blaine said, spreading his hands in the air as if he were imagining reading it from a marquee to emphasize his lack of seriousness. "What happens in the end?" Kurt's smile faltered for a moment at that, and Blaine quickly tried to save what could be an awkward conversation. "I mean, we never really talked about it and… Well, you don't have to be tied to me forever, that's not fair."

"We'll talk about it when you get there, okay? We should probably start actually dating before we break up." Thankfully, if Kurt felt awkward about Blaine's question, he didn't show it at all; their conversation remained friendly and casual.

"Yeah we probably should. So… When are we going to actually start?" Blaine questioned.

"Soon I guess. You think you're ready?" Kurt looked apprehensive and he reached for Blaine's hand. He didn't pull away as Kurt threaded his fingers through his. It felt just as warm and comforting as it had been every time before.

"As I'll ever be. I'm going to have to get used to the attention as it is anyways, right?" Blaine turned his hand so Kurt's wrist was at a less awkward angle and rested their joined hands on his knee, very much aware of the ease with which their fingers lightly gripped each others, as if they've been doing this for years.

"Right." Kurt nodded. "Are you okay with starting sometime soon then?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I mean I know you well enough and I'm surprisingly comfortable around you… No offense, I'm just not usually one to let anyone in so easily." Blaine smiled apologetically.

"Honestly I wouldn't have guessed. You're shy, yes, but you haven't blocked me out very much." Kurt left it off sort of as a question, like he might be expecting an answer. Blaine complied.

"You're a lot easier to talk to than most people. I don't know why, but I don't even think twice about letting my guard down around you. It's a nice change." Blaine replied truthfully. Normally people had to pry their way into Blaine's life, and not many people had taken the effort to do so.

"Well we can work on that a little bit, for other people." Kurt reassured, then his smile faltered a bit once more. Blaine waited patiently for him to speak up again.

"Can I… ask for a favor?" Kurt bit his lip anxiously. Blaine's eyebrows furrowed at his uneasy expression.

"Of course. After everything you're doing for me? It's probably the least I could do." Blaine tried his best to assure him, but that wasn't easy when he didn't know what worried him.

"Well… you know I'm really close with my dad and… I think he'd skin me alive if he found out I was dating someone without him even knowing I'd met someone that I really liked and honestly he'd probably think something was up if I never even mentioned you and then we just showed up in the tabloids…" Kurt rushed out.

"Where are you going with this?" Blaine figured he could guess, but it made him even more nervous.

"My dad and Carole are coming to visit this week and… Well I'd really, _really_ like you to meet them. If you want, you don't have to. And I'll only introduce you as a friend so that there isn't as much pressure but… I haven't talked to him about you and if he all the sudden sees pictures of us holding hands and kissing he's going to suspect something and I'd rather not lie to my dad more than I have to." Kurt rushed his words once more, very aware that the shy man in front of him might not take his request well.

"I… This week?" Blaine thought aloud. Kurt nodded silently and waited. Blaine knew he would be nervous on such short notice, but he owed it to Kurt. He took a deep breath and felt a gentle squeeze of his fingers. The reassurance of Kurt's grip was all Blaine needed.

"When did you have in mind?" Blaine asked as confidently as he could. He heard Kurt squeal and his fingers were torn from his grasp as Kurt threw his arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Thank you!" Kurt said happily as Blaine's arms instinctively wrapped around Kurt's back. "I know you aren't very comfortable meeting new people but I promise I'll keep the conversation light, okay?" Blaine couldn't help the swelling in his chest at those words. For the first time in a long time he felt a great surge of trust wash over him, trust that someone else would watch out for him and he wouldn't have to do it himself.

"Thank you," was all Blaine could say. He whispered it softly in his ear as he held onto the embrace. It was heartwarming to see how happy and _relieved_ Kurt was just because Blaine agreed to meet his parents.

"We'll just do something small and casual, all right? Is dinner at my place okay? Thursday night? Or would Wednesday work better for you?" Kurt asked as he pulled away.

"Wednesday. I'm at Gio's on Thursday." Blaine replied.

"All right, Wednesday night then. Thank you," he repeated, tangling their fingers back together.

"It's the least I can do," Blaine replied softly. "Any requests as to what I should wear? I wouldn't want to disappoint." He teased.

"Whatever you want to wear, just no animal sweaters. My dad will more than likely be sporting his customary flannel button down and baseball cap." Kurt said in a sophisticated tone that did not match the description whatsoever. "He likes to take his 'casual days' when he's not in D.C.," Kurt rolled his eyes affectionately.

"D.C.?" Blaine thought for a moment, but then it clicked. "Your dad's name is Burt, isn't it?" It wasn't really a question, but Kurt nodded and smiled knowingly. "I should have known." Blaine shook his head with a smile.

"Don't be intimidated, he's a big softie, even if he doesn't seem like it." Kurt paused. "And the only thing you have to worry about with Carole is that she's very touchy-feely. Just a warning, she'll probably hug you like she's being reunited with some long lost relative when she first meets you. She's a sweetheart though."

"I'm not really afraid of them, I'm just nervous that I'm not going to know what to say; I never really do." Blaine looked down at his lap and noticed their hands so serenely intertwined. Funny, how quickly he forgot that it should be slightly awkward.

"Don't be. I'll save you from conversation if need be. I won't leave you to fend for yourself, that would be terrible of me." Kurt gave his hand another reassuring squeeze and a smile spread across Blaine's face.

"It'll be a practice run for when we start getting asked questions," Kurt continued. "That way we can figure out when we need to answer for each other. It'll be fine, I promise."

"Thanks." Blaine finally lifted his gaze to express his gratitude when he noticed how close Kurt had gotten without him realizing it. He didn't pull away though; he wasn't even nervous, not really. Kurt's closeness wasn't unnerving; it was soothing. His nerves slowly disappeared as he stared into Kurt's eyes, memorizing every fleck of color throughout the iris. Neither of them spoke, they simply watched each other. Until finally Blaine surprised both Kurt and himself, and leaned in, capturing Kurt's lips in a slow, gentle kiss. It was calm, delicate, and a reassurance for both of them that couldn't mean enough when passed through a light squeeze of a hand. When they broke apart, their faces were still close, foreheads nearly pressed together. Blaine started to speak but Kurt cut him off before he got a chance.

"You don't have to apologize when you kiss me, Blaine. That's kind of the point of this relationship." Kurt's breath ghosted across his cheek as he spoke.

"I wasn't going to," Blaine whispered. "Thank you, for everything. For helping me and not making me go through this alone."

"I know the circumstances are a little strange, but we're friends, right? I'll be here if you need me, I won't leave a friend on their own when they need some comfort. I had to deal with that enough in high school, I wouldn't wish it on anyone else." Kurt rested their foreheads together as he comforted Blaine with his words. Blaine gave him a watery half smile as he blinked multiple times, trying to stop the sting behind his eyes.

"Sorry, I haven't been close to someone in this way in a while and it's… It's just been—a while." Blaine confessed.

"Take your time," Kurt kissed his cheek and looked at his watch. "I really should get going though. You're okay, right?" Kurt checked, just to be sure. Blaine nodded and smiled.

"I guess I'll see you Wednesday if not before?" Blaine asked, holding out a hand to Kurt as he stood from the couch to walk him out.

"Thank you for having me over," Kurt said as Blaine followed him out to his car.

"Anytime," Blaine replied as he kissed Kurt's cheek. "See you Wednesday?"

"Wednesday." Kurt repeated. After a half second decision, Kurt kissed Blaine briefly on the lips before he climbed into his car with a smile and a wave, which Blaine returned before turning back to his building. He didn't go back into his apartment though; he took the elevator up to the top floor, then followed the hall to the back staircase that led to the roof, the place he always went when he wanted to think.


	8. Chapter 8

Here's Chapter Eight! The next update might take a little longer, but I'll do my best! As usual, the song title/artist will be in the note at the end. Enjoy!

* * *

Blaine wasn't surprised to see dawn breaking over the east side of his building a few hours later. It happened from time to time that he stayed out on the roof all night thinking, writing, or whatever else he needed to do to clear his head. It was his safe haven.

Wednesday. He didn't even know what to expect from Kurt's parents. He wasn't sure he was really ready for this, but he'd have to get used to meeting new people, opening up a bit. Blaine took a deep breath and stood up, heading back into his apartment.

He exhaled as he entered and found himself subconsciously walking towards his music room and sitting down at the piano. His fingers flew across the keys, plinking out various melodies from classical music he's memorized over the years. He let himself get lost in the music, repeating the same mantra over and over in his head. _You can do this._

* * *

Wednesday early evening found Blaine in front of a mirror once again criticizing his outfit. He wore an olive green cardigan over a light gray v-neck and jeans. Casual, that's what this was. Just dinner with Kurt and his parents. As friends. Casual.

Blaine checked his watch before he left his apartment, making sure he wouldn't arrive at Kurt's too early. It was still light out; summer had definitely taken over and the air was warm. This wasn't enough to distract Blaine, though. His nerves increased with every minute that passed as he drove.

Blaine pulled into Kurt's driveway and was not surprised to find a rental car parked next to Kurt's. After another emergency pep talk, Blaine climbed out of his car and sauntered up the front walk to the door. He waited a few seconds after ringing the doorbell, then Kurt pulled open the door, calling something over his shoulder to someone, (Blaine assumed his parents), and turned to greet Blaine. However, the moment Kurt's blue eyes met Blaine's own hazel ones, Kurt's body froze.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm a few minutes early but…" Blaine muttered and scratched the back of his neck self-consciously. Kurt seemed to shake himself from his thoughts and smiled.

"No, no you're fine!" Kurt smiled. "Just, your cardigan, it—"

"Bad wardrobe choice?" Blaine asked, feeling even more self-conscious now as he wrapped his arms around his center.

"Not at all!" Kurt reassured excitedly. "It's—you should always wear that color. I'm a huge supporter of changing up the wardrobe, but really, you should always wear green." Kurt rushed out. Blaine pretended not to notice the blush rising in his cheeks.

"I should?" Blaine lowered his arms but raised an eyebrow.

"Well, maybe not, but it really makes your eyes pop. Like, seriously, your eyes are the same color as your cardigan right now." Kurt's eyes were darting back and fourth between Blaine's and the cardigan he was wearing. Blaine blinked, unsure of how to answer to that. Instead Kurt cleared his throat and came back to his senses.

"Sorry, I just…" He cleared his throat again, "anyway, come on in, sorry for making you stand outside." Blaine shrugged and smiled, stepping past Kurt into his front hallway. It was weird to see him act like that, almost like he was flustered. Blaine's thoughts were pushed aside when he heard a woman's voice call from the kitchen.

"Kurt, the timer's going off! Should I take the roast out of the oven?" Blaine assumed that was Kurt's stepmother.

"I'll be right in, Carole!" Kurt nodded in the direction of his kitchen and Blaine followed. As soon as they turned the corner, Blaine immediately recognized the bald man he'd seen on so many campaign ads and signs when he lived in Ohio. Instead of a classy suit and tie, this Burt Hummel was wearing a plaid flannel shirt and a worn baseball cap, as Kurt had predicted. Blaine liked this version of Burt better.

The woman talking with him was a beautiful middle-aged woman with short hair and a warm smile. She seemed just like the kind of person Kurt described her as, someone who would welcome anyone in with open arms.

Kurt cleared his throat and pulled the two of them from their conversation. He stepped aside to let Blaine into the room so he could introduce them.

"Dad, Carole, this is my friend Blaine." Kurt gestured to him and Blaine smiled slightly, giving the two of them a small wave. Carole rushed over and immediately pulled Blaine into a hug, just as Kurt warned him.

"It's so nice to meet you! Kurt's told us so much about you," She said as she released him. He returned the hug lightly, and honestly wasn't bothered by the closeness at all. Carole was too nice to let it bother him.

"It's nice to meet you, too, ma'am." Blaine said politely, but she shook her head and waved her hand. "Please call me Carole. All these titles make me sound old!" She smiled kindly and stepped aside to let Burt introduce himself. Kurt took the opportunity to check on dinner and make sure everything was ready.

"Nice to finally put a face to the name," Burt smiled knowingly. "I'm Burt." Blaine offered his hand and introduced himself.

"Blaine," he replied, "It's good to meet you, too, Mr. Hummel." Again, Blaine was corrected.

"None of that; I get enough 'Mr. Hummel' and 'Sir' when I'm in Washington. It's Burt, got it?" He smiled and leaned against the island in the kitchen.

"Yes, si—Burt." Blaine smiled nervously, but caught Kurt's reassuring glance as he put the roast on the stove.

"Good to know you took my advice about making something with sustenance!" Burt joked as Kurt began placing the food on platters, Carole not far behind him, helping out.

"I know well enough that Carole doesn't let you eat crap for food, so I figured I'd spoil you a bit since I haven't seen you in a while. A little red meat from time to time won't kill you. But as soon as you go back home you're back on your diet." Kurt told his dad firmly as he cut the roast and arranged it neatly on a platter.

"Yeah, yeah. Nothing but rabbit food, I got it." Burt rolled his eyes and Carole swatted his arm gently. The corner of Blaine's lips turned up in a smile. Watching their banter was heartwarming.

"So Blaine!" Burt started as soon as they all sat down for dinner, "Where ya from anyway?" Blaine cleared his throat soundlessly before answering.

"Westerville, Ohio, actually." Blaine said quietly, gathering all the courage he could to speak up and somewhat confidently.

"No kidding! Really?" Burt said as he took a bite of potatoes.

"Yes, I went to USC for Music, and I've been out here since." Blaine took a bite out of the roast, keeping his eyes downcast as he chewed. He had to stop himself from nearly groaning at the juicy flavor.

"This is delicious, Kurt." Blaine said once he swallowed, eagerly cutting another piece.

"Thank you," Kurt smiled happily. Blaine missed the knowing glance Burt sent across the table to Kurt, which of course, was ignored by the recipient. "I used as much spice as I dared with Dad here." Kurt told Blaine, who just nodded and took another bite.

"So Blaine," Carole began politely, "you went to college for music? Is that performance or education or something else?" She smiled invitingly at him.

"Performance, but I uh, took a minor in production. Right now I'm working in a recording studio, but I usually play at a restaurant—um, Giovanni's—a few evenings a week." Blaine sighed internally. He didn't have a reason to be nervous about talking about school and work, yet here he was nearly stuttering through dinner.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Carole exclaimed before taking another bite. "Are you playing sometime this week? We should go see you!" Blaine froze and glanced at Kurt, who watched him closely, a small amount of concern hidden in his crystal eyes, before giving him an encouraging nod.

"Well I'm playing tomorrow night, around 7:30-ish." Blaine told Carole, "I can have Kayleigh make a reservation for you if you'd like…"

"That sounds like fun!" Burt exclaimed. "Ever since the boys graduated Carole and I have been deprived of a good show," he explained. Blaine looked down at his plate and cleared his throat. Thankfully, Kurt saved him.

"Well you won't be disappointed if you go and see Blaine," Kurt gushed. "I told you that that's how I met him; I just had to compliment him after the first show I saw. I go back as often as I can." Blaine blushed at Kurt's words. They were true, but the way he said them made his insides turn. Like Kurt was so _proud _to be able to say that they were friends. More than that, the look Kurt gave him said so much more. Blaine could feel the heat rising in the back of his neck and hoped Burt wouldn't pick on up the soft, loving look Kurt had aimed at him. Technically, they were still only 'friends,' but apparently Kurt was an even better actor than Blaine had originally believed. Blaine kept his eyes down and a small smile tugged across his lips as he glanced over at Kurt, pretending not to notice the knowing look Burt flashed his son.

"Well we should go and watch the show, then!" Carole clapped her hands enthusiastically and Blaine immediately felt a wave of nerves wash over him. What if Burt and Carole hated his set? He caught Kurt's gaze and was sent a reassuring look, which calmed him down surprisingly quickly. He'd worry about tomorrow night's show later. For now, he had to tackle dinner.

The remainder of the evening was spent in Kurt's living room chatting and laughing about Kurt's family and old stories from when he lived back home in Ohio. Blaine laughed along and nodded his head at appropriate times, generally only speaking when prompted or when throwing in small side comments. He tried to ignore the questioning look Kurt gave him from time to time, but he knew Kurt was surprised by his shyness. He was never really like this when it was just the two of them. Conversation between them flowed easily and naturally.

Somewhere in the middle of a relatively vague story about rebuilding a car with his father, Blaine realized how late it was getting and moved to get up from the couch.

"Sorry, I should get going," He apologized politely as he stood. Burt stood up as well, offering a hand, which Blaine took.

"It was nice to meet you, Blaine. We'll see you tomorrow night, I suppose!" Burt grinned and Blaine offered a small smile back. Carole pulled him into a hug, bidding him a similar goodbye, and Kurt offered to walk him out. He gave Burt and Carole another small wave followed by another "It was nice meeting you both," and led the way out of Kurt's front door. He waited on the porch as Kurt closed the door quietly behind him, not uttering a word and looking slightly hesitant. Blaine cleared his throat and spoke up.

"I'm sorry," He looked deeply into Kurt's eyes, hoping that he wasn't angry or frustrated. Instead, he found a little bit of confusion in Kurt's returning gaze.

"For what?" Kurt said as he stepped into place beside Blaine and walked with him out to the car.

"I just… I know I'm a lot more talkative around you and honestly I don't know why that is, but this is the real me around strangers. I don't have a lot of social skills. I hope I didn't offend your parents. I know how much their approval means to you and I tried to be open, I'm just… not there yet." Blaine stopped by the driver's side door to his car and sighed, praying to anyone listening that he didn't mess this up.

"Blaine, relax." Kurt smiled softly, taking his hand. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised, mostly because you've been able to talk with me about anything right from the beginning, for the most part, but you told me this is who you are. And that's what I'm here to help you with, remember? That's why we agreed to this." Kurt gave his hand a comforting squeeze and continued. "This was just a practice run. Now we just need to figure out what to work on, and I'm going to be here for that, remember?"

Before Blaine had time to think about what he was doing, he flung himself at Kurt and wrapped his arms around his waist, his chin buried deep in Kurt's shoulder. Kurt giggled lightly and wrapped his own arms around Blaine's shoulders.

"Thank you," Blaine whispered.

"I'll be here to help, I promise." Kurt murmured back to him. Blaine squeezed his arms tightly around Kurt's torso one last time before reluctantly pulling away. Kurt kissed his cheek and smiled.

"See you tomorrow night?" He asked quietly. Blaine nodded and smiled in return.

"Thank you for having me over. Your parents are lovely," Blaine said as he opened the door to his car.

"Believe me, they think the same of you, I can tell," Kurt walked backwards up the path to his house. "Goodnight, Blaine."

"Goodnight, Kurt." Blaine climbed into his car as he gave Kurt a final wave. He was getting better, but not nearly close to there yet.

* * *

Blaine should have known that Kayleigh would reserve the table to the immediate left of the stage for Kurt and his parents. He nearly rolled his eyes and laughed as he began playing his set. Making sure everything was played to a T. These were Kurt's parents after all, if the two of them were going to be 'dating' soon, he should at least prove himself worthy of dating Kurt.

He took a deep breath as he sat on the bench by the grand piano and began his set. He kept stealing glances across the stage towards Kurt's family, awaiting any sign of reassurance, that they were actually enjoying his set. From what Blaine could gather, they seemed to like it well enough. He tried not to pay them too much notice, mostly because he didn't want to make it obvious how much he starved for their approval, but also because he didn't want to bring attention to Kurt and end up ruining their dinner thanks to a crowd of fans.

He took a final breath before his last song and glanced over to Kurt as he strummed his guitar lightly. With a wave of bold courage, he tilted the microphone up to speak.

"Thanks for coming out tonight, everyone. I'm surprised no one has gotten sick of me yet, this is my last song, I promise." He strummed a few more chords before continuing.

"Before I begin though, I just want to say thank you to someone very special to me, and an even bigger thank you to a few people who are very special to him." Blaine ignored the pointed stare he got from Kayleigh as she sat people at a table in the far right corner. He glanced at the Hummel family and gave a faint but genuine smile.

"I don't know them very well yet, but it means a lot that they're here for me tonight." Blaine's smile grew as he began to play the opening chords to the song and sang softly.

_I bare my windowed self untamed and untrained  
__Dreams that hardly touch our complexions truest faults  
__If room enough for both my drowsy spirit shall fall  
__Bold waves tumble oh to the season of my heart  
__And you have offended my faith and my trust  
__Until all is lost into the beauty of the day  
__Until all is lost, until all is lost_

Blaine tried his hardest not to keep his eyes locked on Kurt's, but he couldn't help glancing over every so often only to find Kurt's gaze never leaving his face.

_But there's something in the way you laugh  
__And it makes me feel like a child  
__Aspects of life they confuse me  
__You and your thesis amuse me  
__Oh, after and afternoon with you  
__And your rich brown eyes  
__Your lips and dark hair  
__Elbows and exposed knees tossing toward the ceiling  
__After an after, after an after, after an afternoon  
__After an after, after an afternoon with you_

Maybe it wasn't the best approach, but Blaine needed to say _something_ to prove he wasn't just some shy kid hanging around to get famous. Because even though that's how it began, Blaine knew Kurt was more than that. He was someone he could open up to and genuinely call his friend. He hadn't had that in a while.

_Face to palm  
__Tear to tear  
__Mouth to tongue  
__Heart to ground  
__Heart to ground  
__Heart to ground  
__I am in love_

Blaine closed the set and smiled one last time before heading into the back room. Thinking back, that was probably the worst idea he'd ever had. Kurt had just introduced them as friends. Sure, they were going to be dating soon, but maybe Kurt wanted to tell Burt and Carole on his own, and not by some declaration of feelings through a song written by and for someone else. Blaine shook his head as he packed away his guitar. Gio came in to give Blaine his traditional post-show hug, but there was something different this time.

"Someone special, huh?" Gio asked with a knowing eyebrow raised. Blaine blushed slightly as Gio squeezed his shoulder lightly. "Perhaps that same someone who's been coming to all of your shows and is currently sitting at the front table with his family?"

"He's a good friend, Gio." Blaine emphasized. "I wanted to make a good impression on his parents."

"I'm just teasing, Blaine, relax." Gio winked and Blaine playfully rolled his eyes. As Gio left the room, though, Blaine could have sworn he heard a happy, "You two would make a cute couple!"

_Just Wait. _Blaine thought.

* * *

Song used:  
After an Afternoon - Jason Mraz

Thank you for reading! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry this one took a bit longer! Enjoy!

* * *

Kurt sat in the back seat of his parents' rental car on the way back from Giovanni's, chatting animatedly about his plans for his time off this summer and telling them about his plans to go to New York to visit Rachel. He tried his hardest to ignore the obvious glances Burt and Carole exchanged in their silence, but he knew the topic was coming all too soon, seeing as they hadn't said anything the day before other than the fact that they thought Blaine was very sweet and they liked him very much.

Eventually he trailed off into silence, waiting for one of them to speak up. He knew there was no use putting off the inevitable.

"So, you want to tell me what's actually going on between you and Blaine?" His father had asked. Okay, so straight to the point, then. Kurt should have known, there really was no beating around the bush with his father.

"Dad," he said exaggeratedly, "I told you, we're friends, that's it. We only met a few weeks ago."

"And why does that matter?" Burt asked.

"Because we're only just getting to know each other." Kurt shrugged as if it were obvious. "You saw how Blaine is, Dad. He's really shy and doesn't talk to people much."

"What I just saw was someone singing about how much he loves you." Burt argued, but not angrily.

"I'm not going to scare him off; I want to be friends with him. He's really sweet and genuine and I don't want to make him uncomfortable." Kurt said, knowing he'd have to use the best of his acting skills to fool his dad.

"I don't know what it is about him, but he's had it rough, I know he has. And he's too shy to say anything, but he deserves to be noticed, Dad. He's more talented than anyone I know and it shouldn't go to waste, you saw him up there tonight. I know for a fact that the both of you loved to watch him play. I wasn't lying when I said he knows how to capture an audience. He deserves a chance, and I want to help him get to at least that point." He stopped for a moment, looking from his dad to Carole, judging their reactions. They were relatively quiet, but not in a negative way. He figured he was doing okay so far.

"He has such big potential, I can see it." Kurt continued. "I think I can help him come out of his shell. Yesterday at dinner was the first time I've ever seen him so shy; he's always so open around me that I never see how shy he actually is."

"There's a reason for that, you know." Carole chimed in with a knowing smile.

"Maybe…" Kurt started to say.

"What do you mean, maybe?" Burt quipped from the drive's seat. "I know you, Kurt. I saw the way you looked at him, the way you two looked at each other. He may be shy, but definitely not when you're around. And Carole's right. There is a reason for that." His dad shot him a pointed glance in the rear view mirror, but Kurt ignored it and internally relaxed. Maybe Blaine was a better actor than he originally thought. Or it really _was_ something else.

"Dad, I really like Blaine, but for right now, we're just friends and I'm perfectly happy with that. If it turns into something else—"

"It will." Burt interrupted, but Kurt pretended to ignore him.

"—if it turns into something else, then great, but if friendship is all we have to offer each other… I'd be okay with that." Kurt said, feeling more genuine and sincere than he had meant to.

"You just wait, kiddo," was all Burt said in reply.

* * *

"So does your dad hate me?" Blaine asked Kurt through the phone two mornings later as he waited for his coffee to finish brewing. Kurt's parents had left a few hours prior to Kurt calling him.

"Why would he hate you?" Kurt's voice sounded like he was genuinely curious.

"Well when I first met him I barely even spoke, and then the other night I made that lovely and spontaneous speech before the last song I played…" Blaine trailed off and ran a hand through his hair.

"It's not a crime that you're shy, Blaine." Kurt chuckled. "And as for the other night—"

"I'm sorry," Blaine cut in. "I just wanted your dad to see that I actually care about you and I'm not just using you for your fame. I shouldn't have done that, I overstepped too much. I just wanted him to have a better impression of me but that probably didn't help at all…" Blaine sighed and poured his coffee.

"It's okay, Blaine, really. It actually helped, I think." Kurt soothed. "He uh… we talked about you after the show. Trust me, he doesn't hate you."

"What did you guys talk about?" Blaine was still worried even though Kurt was trying to reassure him that everything was fine.

"Your show. He thought the same things I did when I first saw you play. He really liked to watch you perform for the same reasons I do. And Carole adored you of course." Kurt added in a light voice.

"That makes me feel a little better," Blaine huffed and took a sip of his coffee. "Did he comment on what I said?"

"Before your last song? Yeah… he gave me a good speech to go with it." Kurt chuckled and Blaine's face drained of its color.

"Should I be worried?" Blaine asked nervously.

"No, he just commented on how we acted around each other. He gave me the standard: 'you wouldn't have brought him around to meet us if he weren't important' and 'I see the way you two look at each other' speeches. He just wants us to be careful but more than anything he wants us to be happy. He does like you though, I think watching you perform helped with that since he got a better glimpse of who you are." Blaine could hear the smile in Kurt's voice.

"Good," Blaine relaxed immediately. "One less thing for me to worry about."

"Well if we can fool my dad, fooling the press won't be too hard. My dad can usually tell when something's up with me or if I'm not telling him something. Everyone else is easier for me to trick. If you can keep it up like you did Thursday night, we'll be fine with this." Kurt assured. Blaine was relieved once again. Maybe this wouldn't be too terribly difficult.

"I think I can keep it up. It's just talking to the press that may make things difficult…" Blaine laughed nervously but Kurt just brushed it off.

"We'll get there. Speaking of the press!" Kurt's tone changed like he had some news, so Blaine listened carefully. "Someone took a picture of me at your show on Thursday. I was in an article on _OK!_'s website this morning."

"OK?" Blaine questioned.

"Have you ever read a tabloid magazine, Blaine?" Kurt chuckled.

"I don't really pay much attention to that kind of stuff, should I?" Blaine brought his coffee over to where his laptop was open on the couch and started searching for _OK!_'s website.

"Well you may want to start searching around because you'll probably be in them soon. There's not much in the article, just a caption of me saying I was out 'enjoying an evening at _Giovanni's_ with my parents.' They haven't said anything about you, but when we're seen together more, they will." Kurt explained as Blaine found the article. He skimmed through it and nodded to himself.

"I found it. I guess I should keep tabs on you so I can see what everyone's saying about me…" Blaine said thoughtfully. He had to be ready for this sooner or later. Right now it didn't seem so bad anyway.

"Well now that we've tackled my dad, are you ready to go public, Blaine Anderson?" Kurt asked quizzically and Blaine smiled at the tone.

"I suppose I am!" Blaine answered just as formally. "Shall we start with a coffee date?"

"Well we have to start somewhere, right?" Kurt laughed. "I'll look for somewhere we can go that's kind of remote but will have enough people to notice that it's me there and that I'm with someone. We don't want to make it look like a publicity stunt." Kurt responded. "So would you like to meet me for coffee on Tuesday?"

"I'd love to," Blaine said cheekily. He and Kurt continued their conversation for another half hour or so before bidding each other goodbye. Blaine felt like he should be doing something to prepare himself for Tuesday, but what could he do, really? It wasn't likely that many people would notice him after one date. He just supposed he shouldn't be surprised with how fast or slow things go. He just needed to let this take its own course.

* * *

"I have to say, I was kind of surprised when you told me to meet you here," Blaine remarked as he held the door open for Kurt. They were at the coffee shop they had met at the first time, just a few blocks away from Blaine's work.

"Well it wasn't terribly crowded the first time we came here, but it wasn't completely off the map either. Plus they have excellent coffee." Kurt smiled. Blaine nodded his agreement as they made their way towards the counter. There were a few people in the shop, but no one really seemed to notice the two of them as they entered.

"Can I get a grande non-fat mocha and a… medium drip, right?" Kurt turned to Blaine to confirm his order. Blaine couldn't stop the smile that broke from his lips as he answered yes. "And a plate of biscotti, please."

"You like biscotti?" Blaine asked.

"Who _doesn't _like biscotti with coffee? It's a fundamental. Strawberries and champagne, red wine and dark chocolate, coffee and biscotti." Kurt stated matter-of-factly.

"What kind do you like best?"

"I'm drinking a mocha, what do you think?" Kurt replied with a smirk.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Once they got their orders, they sat at a small table towards the back, still in plain view, but not too obvious.

"So how was the rest of your weekend with your parents?" Blaine asked.

"Far too short, as usual. I always miss my dad." Kurt shrugged. "I'll visit him again soon, though. I'm probably going to go to New York by the time summer's over, so I might make a stop along the way… we'll see."

"New York for vacation or are you guys filming there?"

"No, we don't pick back up until about mid August. Rachel wants me to see her show again, and who am I to pass up a trip to New York?" Kurt chuckled.

"Do you like it better there? Rather than L.A.?" Blaine wondered.

"It's… I don't know. They both have such different vibes. I love my job though, I don't regret coming out here one bit, but I absolutely love New York. I love going to visit every chance I can." Kurt's eyes lit up as he talked about it. Blaine knew that Kurt had his sights set on New York back when he was in high school, so the city would always be special for him.

"I've never been to New York City," Blaine commented. "I've always wanted to go, but I never really had a chance once I came out here."

"You've never been to New York? That is a tragedy!" Kurt mocked sounding appalled. "Well luckily for you, sir, I just happen to have a best friend who just happens to be playing Eva Perón in the amazing revival of _Evita _and can get us tickets to her show in a heartbeat."

"W-what?" Blaine spluttered. Was Kurt really asking him to go to New York with him?

"We could go for a long weekend and you can meet Rachel, because lord knows she's going to be pestering me about you as soon as word gets out…" Kurt paused and saw Blaine's expression of mixed surprise and worry. "Only if you want to! I know that would be a lot. Rachel is a lot to handle. We'll just… never mind we'll talk about this another time." Kurt quickly sipped his coffee and Blaine's face softened into a gentle grin.

"It always makes me so relieved when you get uneasy," Blaine smirked. He glanced around before he reached across the table and gave Kurt's hand a squeeze. "Going to New York would be a blast," He stated, because it was one hundred percent true. Even if he was nervous, going to New York with Kurt sounded like it would be more fun than he'd had in a long time.

"Really? I didn't just scare you off there?" Kurt looked worried.

"Not at all. We should probably wait a few weeks though, just until this," he gestured between the two of them, "gets out." Kurt nodded and responded.

"Oh! I wanted to talk to you about that!" Kurt glanced around and then lowered his voice a bit. "I talked to my publicist about you…" He watched Blaine for a moment, then continued on. "I basically told her the truth, well part of it. Don't worry she won't tell a soul." He added when Blaine's face fell. "But she can help us out as far as getting appropriate publicity and making sure it doesn't _look _like a publicity stunt, since, well it pretty much is."

"I feel like this is going to back fire." Blaine rubbed his eyes worriedly.

"Trust me, Emily is the best. She understood the second I told her, and she knows I want to help you out." Kurt reassured him by taking his hand.

"So, what did she say?" Blaine questioned hesitantly.

"Well for one, she thinks this could work if we play our cards right, so far we have the right idea. We just can't make it too obvious. But in order to make this official, so people know for sure who you are, we're going to have to announce it out to the press, preferably at some event." Kurt whispered that last bit so no one would hear him. Blaine noticed that a few people across the coffee shop kept glancing in their direction, but he ignored them for the time being.

"Event like what? Did she have something in mind?" Blaine twiddled his thumbs as he waited.

"Well, at the end of July there's a press party for _Far From the End. _We figured that gives us roughly six weeks to give the pot a stir and you know how fast gossip travels in this town…" Kurt laughed and rolled his eyes as he sipped his mocha. "But if you would do me the honor of going as my date, then we can get your name out there and spread the word about how talented you are." Again, Kurt's words were not above a low murmur, but Blaine got the message.

"Okay… so July?" Blaine asked.

"Are you saying yes to my date proposal?" Kurt asked giddily.

"Yes," Blaine laughed as Kurt clapped his hands in excitement. "Though why you would settle for me when you could have nearly any guy in L.A. is beyond me."

"Who says I'm settling?" Kurt quipped as he sipped his coffee with a raised eyebrow. Blaine smiled and glanced away, noting once more that some of the other coffee shop patrons had taken more notice to them.

"I think people are starting to recognize you," Blaine leaned in and whispered. Kurt just smirked and sipped his mocha.

"Eh, let 'em stare. That's the point right?" Kurt inquired. Blaine smiled and drank his coffee as well, ignoring the curious gazes of the people around him. "So when's your next show at Giovanni's? I thought you were going to keep me posted on that," he teased.

"Tomorrow night, if you'd like to come." Blaine answered. "Can you make it?"

"Of course! Is it annoying to have me at every one of your shows?" Kurt gave him an uneasy smile.

"No, it's nice. Whether you're backstage or out front, it's nice having you there." Blaine blushed slightly at his own words, but he smiled anyway, which was returned by Kurt.

"Good, because I like going. What are you playing tomorrow?" Kurt kept questioning Blaine, but it didn't bother him in the slightest. He raised an eyebrow, silently asking Kurt if he really wanted him to ruin the surprise. In response, Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Am I going to have to beg?" He sighed dramatically.

"Well that would be a sight. What a show for these lovely coffee shop patrons: Kurt Hummel begging a nobody restaurant singer to tell him his set list for the night." Blaine joked.

"Fine. Can I make a request, then?"

"And that would be…?"

"Nothing specific," Kurt said as he finally drained his coffee. "Play me an original, I've heard a lot of covers lately."

"I've tried to balance it, but people recognize and respond to the covers more… but I'll see what I can do," Blaine replied bashfully as he finished his coffee as well.

"Good, I love your originals. I mean, I love your covers, too, but words coming from your own heart are more powerful." Blaine blushed a deep crimson but he did his best to ignore it.

"Thanks…" He said quietly. He glanced around once more and finally noticed that people were openly staring as more people came in for a quick stop during their lunch breaks. "Should we… do you think we should go before it gets too crowded?" He asked in a low voice. Kurt looked around as well, then sighed.

"Yeah we should probably get out while we can. Come on," Kurt pushed himself out of his chair and waited for Blaine to do the same. They threw away their empty coffee cups and walked out beside each other. Blaine swore he saw the flash of a camera reflect on the glass windows, but he ignored it. That was the purpose, after all.

"That went well," Kurt said as he walked with Blaine down the block towards the studio.

"I'm glad you think so… I was so nervous this morning." Blaine confessed with a forced laugh.

"About what?" Kurt tilted his head in curiosity.

"I don't know; I figured I'd do something stupid. Like tripping and spilling coffee on you, or something." He shrugged.

"Well, you were perfectly fine." They stopped just before the corner, and turned towards each other. "I'll see you tomorrow night?" Kurt asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Blaine ensured. "Are you going to be in the back again?"

"More than likely," Kurt squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek. "Have fun at work!" He smiled.

"See you," Blaine laughed as he walked the opposite way, feeling uplifted.

* * *

The next chapter should be up by Friday. Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

_Been&Done: Spotted! [PHOTO] Kurt Hummel leaving a coffee shop yesterday (6/19/18) with a currently unknown companion. Could this be a new friend for our favorite _Far From the End _star? A business partner? A possible love interest? They look pretty cozy!_

_EDIT: Kurt's coffee companion has been identified as a local singer at Giovanni's restaurant downtown, where Kurt was seen with his family last week. Did these two strike a chord? Maybe time will tell!_

* * *

_When the rain set in we had nowhere left to go  
__so we just stayed in bed while the thunder rolled  
__there's a comfort in the rain, one that lovers only know  
__so we lay hand in hand while the water rose ..._

_Every season will turn til the world is upside down  
__rivers overflow then go underground  
__but in the eye of the storm, in the safety of this house  
__we lay hand in hand while the world turns wrong._

_So keep us and keep us, keep us from the storm._

_There's a lesson in the rain that change will always come  
__let us ride this wave and then greet the sun  
__and though the ground may shake and we'll think  
__we've had enough  
__we must raise our flags for the ones we love._

_So keep us and keep us, keep us from the storm.  
__Keep us and keep us and keep us from the storm._

Blaine smiled slightly at the audience when he finished his set with an original, as per Kurt's request. He gave a slight bow as he exited the stage with his guitar and found Kurt waiting in the back room as usual.

"Amazing as always. When did you write that one?" Kurt asked.

"Uh… Somewhere between sophomore and junior year of college. I think it was the end of my sophomore year." Blaine pulled his guitar strap off and walked over to the couch where his case rested.

"I liked it. I'm serious, you should sing your originals more often, instead of just one or two per set." Kurt remarked. "At least once your name starts getting out there you should." He smiled confidently and Giovanni walked into the room to congratulate Blaine and confirm his next show. Blaine was about to speak again as Gio left, but Kayleigh quickly strode into the room.

"Blaine! You dirty little—oh… hi, Kurt." She cut herself off when she saw Kurt was in the room.

"Nice to see you, Kayleigh," Kurt smiled politely and greeted her. She looked a bit awkward and awestruck but Blaine spoke up at that moment.

"Dirty little what?" Blaine raised an eyebrow at her.

"Um… Well, you lied to me," Kayleigh said, shoving her phone in Blaine's hands. The internet browser was open to one of her favorite gossip websites. On the display, a very grainy picture of Kurt and Blaine leaving the coffee shop was visible. Blaine chuckled a bit and handed back her phone.

"Can we talk about this later?" He raised his eyebrows at her in a manner that didn't leave room for any other options and Kayleigh sighed.

"Yeah, fine. But I'm holding you to this," She wiggled her phone in the air, which now had a black screen.

"Yes, sure, sure. You can yell at me all you want later," he rolled his eyes and gave her a hug. "Now get back to work, slacker." He winked at her and she rolled her eyes as she headed out.

"It was nice to see you here again, Kurt!" She called out as she walked away, wiggling her eyebrows at Blaine.

"So… what was that about?" Kurt asked with a very confused expression on his face. Blaine pulled out his phone and typed the url to the website Kayleigh showed him in his browser. Once it loaded, he showed the image to Kurt.

"Look at me! I'm in the tabloids!" Blaine said over enthusiastically. Kurt scanned the brief caption next to the picture and nodded with an amused expression on his face.

"Well that was fast." Kurt said, handing Blaine his phone. "Look at you! You're famous!" Kurt acted star struck for a moment before his face fell into a large grin.

"Well, I try." Blaine shrugged one shoulder in a cocky manner before rolling his eyes playfully. "So what now?"

"You should keep getting coffee there, even when you're not with me. Just go there a few times a week at least, that way people will start to recognize you. We can get coffee during your lunch break again next week." Kurt waited for Blaine as he gathered his bag and guitar.

"Sounds good," Blaine said, gesturing for Kurt to lead the way out. "Got any plans for tonight?"

"No, not tonight. Why?" Kurt turned and raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"I still haven't heard you play piano." Blaine asked hopefully with a gleam in his eye.

"Well I have an empty house and a vast collection of romantic comedies if you'd like to come over, but I can't promise I'll play for you."

"Ah, come on! I've been waiting for weeks!" Blaine complained as they exited the back door.

"Patience, Mr. Anderson." Kurt laughed.

"I'm not above begging." Blaine stated simply, knowing Kurt would budge eventually.

"Don't you dare." Kurt said seriously, looking over at Blaine with wide, almost panicking eyes.

"Please?" Blaine tried not to laugh as he looked up at Kurt through his eyelashes with a lopsided smile on his face.

"I hate you." Kurt narrowed his eyes.

"No, you fake love me, remember?" Blaine asked innocently. He immediately blushed and dropped his gaze after the words left his mouth without thinking about them first. Kurt saved him with a laugh and nudged his shoulder.

"Come on, I'll meet you at my place." He smiled. Blaine was thankful he didn't make a big deal out of his slip.

"Is that a yes to the piano?" Blaine perked up.

"…We'll see." Kurt gave him a meaningful glance as he got into his car.

* * *

"Just one song."

"You are not going to let this go, are you?"

"Of course not!" Blaine said with a positively adorable look on his face.

"I'm fake dating a five year old." Kurt muttered to himself while shaking his head. "One condition. No, two."

"I'm worried," Blaine said as he slid down the piano bench.

"You don't have to if it's too fast or it makes you nervous, but one of my costars is having a party on Saturday… Nothing extravagant, but… Will you come with me?" Kurt asked as he slid on the bench next to Blaine, leaving barely any room between them.

"This Saturday?"

"Yeah, if you want to." Kurt watched Blaine as he thought for a moment.

"Gotta start somewhere, right?" Blaine finally answered. "Sure, I'll come with you."

"Thank you!" Kurt hugged Blaine awkwardly from the side. "I promise I won't wander off and leave you to fend for yourself." He paused for a second, then, "While we're there, though, I don't think there's any sense in lying to my costars, you know?"

"You mean," Blaine began, "tell them the real reason you're dating me?" He was getting worried. These were Kurt's friends. What would they think of that? What would they think of Blaine? Surely they'd convince Kurt what a bad idea it was, right?

"No!" Kurt said quickly, seeing Blaine's face fall. "No, I mean just tell them we're dating. I mean they're going to hear it sooner or later anyway, no sense in saying we're just friends."

"Oh. Yeah, okay. That makes sense." Blaine nodded. "So, Saturday?"

"Saturday. I can pick you up, if you'd like?" Kurt offered.

"Sure, that'd be great." Blaine gave him a half nod. "So, what's condition number two?"

"Well," Kurt started to tap out simple melodies that sounded suspiciously like nursery rhymes as he spoke. "I need something to distract you from my horrible playing, so will you sing with me?"

"Singing with you won't distract me from watching you play." Blaine countered, but Kurt shrugged.

"Worth a shot. Please?"

"Fine. What are we singing?" Blaine asked as he watched Kurt's fingers move over the keys. Kurt didn't answer, just started playing a melody Blaine recognized after a few moments. His eyes followed Kurt's hands as they moved, but briefly flicked up to his face every few seconds to watch him sing.

_Lyin' here with you so close to me  
__It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe  
__Caught up in this moment  
__Caught up in your smile_

Kurt nodded to Blaine and he took his cue as he continued to watch him play.

_I've never opened up to anyone  
__So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms  
__We don't need to rush this  
__Let's just take it slow_

Blaine couldn't help but notice the two of them harmonized together beautifully. Maybe he'd have to sing with the countertenor more often.

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight  
__Just a touch of the fire burning so bright  
__No I don't want to mess this thing up  
__I don't want to push too far  
__Just a shot in the dark that you just might  
__Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life  
__So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight_

Blaine caught himself watching Kurt as he focused on the keys, but he didn't look away. He wondered momentarily if this is what Kurt meant when he watched him sing, seeing his whole heart and soul being poured into music, even if he was singing a song that didn't belong to him, wasn't specifically written for him. That didn't matter though; there was always meaning. Blaine was well aware of that. You never choose something without reason.

_I know that if we give this a little time  
__It'll only bring us closer to the love we wanna find  
__It's never felt so real, no it's never felt so right  
__  
Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight  
__Just a touch of the fire burning so bright  
__No I don't want to mess this thing up  
__I don't want to push too far  
__Just a shot in the dark that you just might  
__Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life  
__So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight  
__With a kiss goodnight  
__Kiss goodnight_

Kurt's eyes finally met Blaine's as he finished playing, there was a light blush on his cheeks as he glanced away.

"I don't know what you were so worried about. You play beautifully." Blaine said in reassurance, his lips turned up in a small smile. Kurt smiled back and Blaine swore his eyes flickered down to his lips, but he ignored it.

"We sound good together," Kurt said, changing the subject slightly. Blaine nodded in agreement.

"We do. Maybe we should sing together more if it'll get you to play for me." Blaine prompted, but Kurt shook his head.

"You can't trick me into playing for you."

"Can I ask nicely?" Blaine said sweetly.

"Remember when you first made that puppy face at me and I said you weren't allowed to do that? I actually meant it." Kurt said in an unconvincing tone.

"You'll play for me again eventually."

"We'll see. Go pick out a movie, I'll make popcorn," Kurt said as he slid off the bench. Blaine watched him walk into the kitchen and froze for a moment.

Saturday.

This Saturday.

He shook himself from his thoughts and made his way over to Kurt's movie collection. He would worry about that later.

He waited for Kurt to return with a bowl of popcorn before he pressed play, but he wasn't paying attention. It didn't matter; he'd seen _Sleepless in Seattle _plenty of times anyway. He didn't notice when Kurt paused the movie and turned to face him.

"You okay?" He asked, taking his hand.

"Hm?" Blaine hummed suddenly, completely unaware of his surroundings from being too lost in thought.

"What's wrong? You haven't been paying attention to anything for the past 45 minutes or so." Kurt gave his hand a light squeeze and Blaine shook his head, as if the action could help clear his thoughts.

"Sorry… Just a lot on my mind I guess." Blaine tried to put on a fake smile, but Kurt could see through it anyway.

"You can talk to me if you need to," Kurt offered, but Blaine hesitated. No, now wasn't a good time.

"Can I ask you something?" Blaine went for a different topic instead, one that had been bothering him since Kurt mentioned it when they first struck their deal.

"Of course, you know you can ask me anything." Kurt answered patiently.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to; I understand. I was just wondering… When we first decided to do this, you said it would be better if you were unavailable for a while…" Blaine trailed off and let the unspoken question hang in the air until Kurt nodded his understanding.

"My last relationship was when I was still in New York. I was still dating Luca when I first moved out here, but long story short it didn't work out. The distance was one thing, but it wasn't really the main problem; we could have worked around it. I thought we wanted the same things, but we didn't. I was heart broken for about a week, but I knew while we were dating that it wouldn't last anyway. It was something that was easy to get caught up in that moment, but when it came down to it we weren't headed the same way; simple as that." Kurt shrugged.

"So… why remain off the market, so to speak?"

"A few months ago Luca called me, out of the blue, and told me he was in L.A. and wanted to see me, catch up, yadda yadda." Kurt waved his hand as if to fill in words that didn't need to be said. "I was on a short break from the show, so I had the week off and I spent almost the whole week with him, reliving old memories and remembering why I was with him for so long. I was such an idiot that I let my guard down and fell right back in love with him in a total of two days.

"By the end of the week he just asked me if I really thought we were getting back together and what gave me the idea that it was more than just a hookup. I practically blew up at that point and was so angry at my own stupidity that I just left his hotel room and drove for hours without any direction until I ended up stopping somewhere about halfway to Phoenix. The stupid romantic in me fell for it again and I was so angry with myself.

"So finally I drove back home and booked a ticket to Ohio and spent the weekend with my father watching old movies and football games and talking about everything that happened until I finally convinced myself that I would be okay and I'd be able to stop myself from doing something like that again." Kurt sounded frustrated by the end so Blaine scooted closer and put his arm around him in comfort. Kurt leaned into him immediately, which brought a smile to Blaine's lips.

"So you're trying to avoid falling for Luca again?" Blaine asked quietly as he stroked his thumb against Kurt's arm.

"Not just Luca; that's not exactly the first time that's happened. I have a bad habit of falling too hard, too fast." Kurt sighed.

"I'm guessing Finn was one of those?" Blaine chuckled, lightening the mood.

"Oh, God. I never should have told you that." Kurt groaned, adjusting his head on Blaine's shoulder. "He was probably the worst one, because I liked him for over a year in high school and it started before I even came out. And he was always back and forth with his girlfriends so I would just sit on the sidelines pining over the straight quarterback knowing I'd never have him and I just couldn't wait to get out of that town. And then of course our parents got married and all of the sudden my old crush became my stepbrother and that was all kinds of awkward." Kurt let out a comfortable sigh and started to trace patterns on Blaine's arms with his fingertips.

"Well you finally got out of there," Blaine noted, to which Kurt chuckled.

"I did, but my stupid, impractical heart was still in the same place."

"You didn't continue to fall for all the straight guys, did you?" Blaine teased half-heartedly.

"No, I managed to steer clear of the straight guys for once. But I still fell for people too fast. I had several relationships where I was one hundred percent convinced we were dating only to find out later he was only looking for a hookup or he just wanted to be friends. When I finally did find someone that I was happy with and dated for a while, I was pathetic enough to be right back in his arms the second he called after we broke up."

"You're not pathetic, Kurt. It's okay to need someone." Blaine murmured as he squeezed Kurt's arm.

"But I'm pathetic enough to go back to someone who hurt me just to get that comfort when I could just as easily find it in a friend." Kurt countered. Blaine readjusted underneath Kurt's weight on his shoulder so he could look at him.

"It's not the same. Trust me on that, I know how it feels. The comfort your friends can offer you is not the same thing as the kind of comfort you need from someone you love, or at least loved once in a romantic way. It's different and everyone needs it. It's okay to need it." Blaine reassured him, his eyes speaking more words than his mouth. Kurt grinned slightly in a silent thank you, and they fell back to the same comfortable position as before, with Kurt's head on Blaine's shoulder and Blaine's arm wrapped around him.

"The whole fiasco with Luca a few months ago was a wake up call. I need to be on my own for a while and just be me. And even if it's all for show, being taken by you will help that, prevent me from doing something stupid."

"At least I don't have to worry about you cheating on me," Blaine chuckled and Kurt joined in. He was glad Kurt told him about his past. Maybe Blaine would share his as well, eventually. They've had enough heavy topics for one night. "Thank you for telling me," Blaine kissed the top of Kurt's head and held him a little tighter.

"I'm glad I could tell you. It's nice to have someone out here to talk to. A lot of the conversations I have with people here are either superficial or too short to get into details, so really I should be thanking you for listening, and understanding." Kurt let himself be wrapped up by Blaine and they stayed like that for a while. They let the movie play in the background, but the two of them were too enveloped in the comfort of each other to pay attention to anything else.

Sometimes it's nice just to be held, and sometimes it's nice just to hold someone.

* * *

Songs used:  
Keep Us - Peter Bradley Adams (this was Blaine's "original")  
Just a Kiss - Lady Antebellum

So this chapter was a little bit about Kurt and what he's been through, and next chapter we get a little more from Blaine!

Thanks for reading! Reviews are super appreciated :)


	11. Chapter 11

Hello you lovely people! Sorry for the short delay; I was having computer problems earlier this week! They told me they might not be able to recover my files and I almost had a heart attack but everything has been saved and all is well!

So this chapter is a big chapter for Blaine, and also kind of a part one to his story. More to come next chapter, but first, on with this one!

* * *

"You can't ignore me forever, you know." Blaine said to Kayleigh the following afternoon at the podium at Giovanni's.

"Missing six calls is hardly ignoring you, Blaine." Her eyes didn't flicker from the seating chart she was looking over for the evening. Apparently there were several large parties with reservations tonight and she had to spread them out accordingly.

"Okay, well fine then," Blaine started saying, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist. "No details for you, then." Kayleigh let out a frustrated sigh and glared at Blaine.

"I'm mad at you for not telling me. Make it up to me by giving me details." She offered, pretending to be disinterested. Blaine smiled knowingly.

"To be honest, there isn't much to tell. We've been hanging out a bit and we didn't really start dating until last weekend, so… that's it." Blaine shrugged. Kayleigh groaned in frustration.

"Blaine! You are infuriating. I said details! When did you first kiss? _Where _did you first kiss? Did he ask you to be his boyfriend or did you ask him? Have you gone out other than coffee and that lunch date? Has he slept over yet? Have you—"

"Kayleigh! You sound like a teenager." Blaine interrupted, his face turning beet red.

"Sorry! I want to know!" She protested.

"I know, but it's just been a while. The first time he kissed me was a few weeks ago on the cheek when we went out for coffee, and then the night after that he actually kissed me when I was leaving his house." Blaine thought for a second back to Kayleigh's questions. "We didn't really ask each other or anything, we just kind of mutually agreed that we're dating. We haven't really gone out that much because of our schedules, but I've been to his house a few times for dinner and such. I met his parents last week, and they came to see my show here, as you know." Blaine relayed as many details as he trusted himself to give, knowing Kayleigh would settle for nothing less.

"You haven't answered my last questions." She pointed out.

"I ignored them for a reason." Blaine said, but Kayleigh jumped the gun and thought he meant something different. Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped, but Blaine cut her off before she could assume anything else.

"Kayleigh! I meant I ignored the questions because we _haven't_ done anything, not because we have!" Blaine blushed again and Kayleigh giggled. "Look, we're taking it slow for both of us. It's not going to be easy, we want to make sure that we can make this work before we get in too deep." Kayleigh nodded and was quiet, so Blaine took the opportunity to tell her about the party this weekend. She nearly squealed when he said he was going to a party with Kurt, clearly seeing no possible problems until Blaine pointed out the major problem.

"Kayleigh, it's on Saturday. This twenty-third. As in the day before the twenty-fourth." Blaine emphasized and suddenly it clicked with her.

"Ah, Blaine…" She pulled him into a tight, comforting hug. "You can't not go, though. I know it'll be hard, but you'll be okay. Kurt will be there for you, I'm sure he gets it." Blaine looked away and she immediately picked up on his apprehension. "Kurt doesn't know, does he?"

"It's a rough topic, Kay. I'll tell him eventually, especially after everything he's shared with me about his past, but I have to get through this weekend first. I mean… the first year was just horrible and last year I wasn't much better. I want to be okay this year. I want to keep on living and be fine. It's just a birthday; I can get through it. I don't want it to ruin Kurt's weekend though, that's what I'm worried about. I don't want to get distracted." Blaine sighed and leaned against the bench next to the podium.

"You'll be fine Blaine. The party is on Saturday, not Sunday. You can have fun at the party and not feel guilty about letting your mind forget. Then on Sunday if you feel like shit you can call me and I'll be there for you, okay?" Kayleigh squeezed Blaine's shoulder for comfort.

"Thanks, Kay."

"You'll be fine B, just make sure you go have fun with your new boyfriend, okay?" Blaine nodded and smiled. Having someone else call Kurt his boyfriend was new, but he got a flutter of enjoyment out of it in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

Despite how overwhelmed Blaine was, he was actually having some fun at the party. Kurt, true to his word, barely left his side from the moment they walked through the doors. Blaine spoke to a few people, nothing much more than the standard questions and answers that are exchanged when you first meet someone. The atmosphere was inviting and stimulating, and Blaine let himself fall into it.

"Having fun?" Kurt asked when they went over to the bar to get drinks.

"Yes, actually," Blaine answered truthfully. "I'm a little overwhelmed, but that was to be expected I guess." Kurt handed him a drink and smiled.

"You're doing really well, you know. I know all the conversations are easy because nobody really knows you, but I'm still really happy you're here and trying." Kurt smiled proudly at him and Blaine was about to answer but he was interrupted before he could begin by the party's host, Kurt's costar, Russell Bourdan.

"Kurt! I'm glad you could make it!" Russell said as he made his way through the few people around them.

"Hey Russ! Thanks for having me." Kurt sidestepped a bit and pulled Blaine up next to him. "This is my boyfriend, Blaine Anderson." He introduced, "Blaine, this is Russ."

"Pleased to meet you," Blaine offered his hand to shake.

"Likewise," Russ smiled, shaking Blaine's hand firmly. "Boyfriend, huh? Since when? And why didn't I hear about this?" He joked. Kurt laughed along with him and Blaine smiled, following suit.

"It's fairly recent; we met a few weeks ago. Blaine plays regularly at Giovanni's downtown. I saw one of his shows and I just had to meet him." Kurt winked at Blaine and smiled, and Blaine felt himself blush.

"No kidding? Well good for you guys! I'll have to see you play sometime, Blaine!" Russ smiled and Blaine decided he liked him. His smile was genuine, not the fake smile everyone else flashed at him when they met. Russ was about to speak up again when he heard his name being called and saw a man and a woman waving at him from across the room.

"Sorry guys, we'll catch up later," he smiled apologetically. "It was really nice to meet you, Blaine. You better treat Kurt right." He said in fake warning with a wink towards Blaine. "Enjoy the party, guys!" With that, Russ weaved his way through the crowd towards the people who were calling to him. Blaine turned to Kurt.

"He seems really nice, and actually genuine." Blaine told him, and Kurt chuckled.

"He is. He's such a good guy, and he's really down to earth." Kurt replied. "I'm glad you got to meet him, even though it was short. He's the type of person who makes it a point to know people, and not just because it might get him ahead. He doesn't care about that."

"I like him." Blaine said with a nod and he sipped his drink. He and Kurt were interrupted by more and more people as the night passed on, but Kurt stayed by Blaine, introducing him to people and including him in conversations. Blaine noticed the time at five minutes to midnight and stilled for a moment, which didn't go unnoticed by Kurt.

"You okay?" Kurt muttered in his ear.

"Yeah," Blaine nodded. "I'm just going to step outside for a second; I'll be right back." He squeezed Kurt's hand and smiled in reassurance, then headed for the exit, nodding to the security guard as he walked past. The cool evening air hit him, and it was a nice change to the stuffy air inside created by the amount of people.

Blaine leaned against the side of the building and put his hands in his pockets, tipping his head back to feel the cool brick against his skin. His gaze settled up on the few stars that shone bright enough to be seen past the bright city lights and he let out a deep sigh. He was okay; he would be okay.

As soon as the minute hand on his watch hit midnight, Blaine gazed up once more and had a small, sad smile on his face.

"Happy birthday, Case." He whispered into the cool summer night. He was silent for a few minutes as he simply watched the very few stars that could be seen when he heard footsteps walking towards him.

"Needed a break from the crazy?" Kurt asked gently, leaning against the wall next to him.

"No, the party is actually a lot of fun. I'm glad I came." Blaine smiled and turned his head to face Kurt, seeing his flushed cheeks from the heat inside the building.

"So what's up?" Kurt's voice was full of concern, even though Blaine could tell he was trying to cover it up.

"It's a rough weekend for me, that's all. Not because of the party, it's like this every year." Blaine shrugged, trying to keep himself upbeat.

"What's this weekend?" Kurt wondered.

"Sunday in particular—well, today now. The date." Blaine sighed. "Shit, sorry, I shouldn't get into this now. I'm fine, let's go back inside."

"Blaine, do you want to talk about it?" Kurt stopped him by putting a hand on his arm. He searched Blaine's eyes and Blaine could tell from his changing expression that he found something there.

"No, it's okay Kurt; I don't want to ruin your weekend. Really, I'm fine, I just needed a minute." He started to walk back inside again, but Kurt spun him around.

"Blaine." He said sincerely, eyes boring into Blaine's. "Remember the other night when you told me it was okay to need comfort?" Blaine stared back at Kurt and nodded slightly, feeling the sting behind his eyes and trying so desperately to fight it back. "Come on, let's go say goodbye to Russ and we'll go make some coffee." Blaine knew there wasn't really another option, so he reluctantly agreed. Ten minutes later, they were seated in Kurt's car on the way back to Blaine's apartment.

"You didn't have to leave Kurt; I feel awful." Blaine apologized, but Kurt shook his head and stopped him.

"Blaine, we were there for hours, I'm not mad at all. We had fun while we were there, and honestly, the party is going to die in less than an hour by now anyway. I would have been leaving soon regardless." Kurt reached over and laced his fingers through Blaine's to comfort him. When they pulled into the parking lot of Blaine's apartment, Blaine let out a breath and Kurt stroked his thumb across his knuckles.

"If you don't want to tell me, it's okay, but I'll be here if you want me to be." Blaine nodded and opened the car door, letting go of Kurt's hand along the way. Kurt followed closely behind as Blaine unlocked the door to his apartment and let them in.

"I'll go make some coffee," Blaine offered, making his way into the kitchen. The two were silent until Blaine returned with two filled mugs and set them on the coffee table before settling next to Kurt on the couch. Kurt held his hand again and waited.

"I wasn't always this closed off, you know." Blaine said quietly after he took a sip of coffee.

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked patiently.

"I wasn't always so cautious to open up to people. I mean it's different with you, but that wasn't until after we agreed to this deal. I've always been shy, but I didn't really have too much trouble opening up to people once I met them. I used to let people in a lot more than I do now." Kurt waited, but he decided prompting Blaine was the best way to go about this until Blaine decided to let it out.

"So what made you close yourself off?"

"I—I'm afraid to get hurt again." He whispered.

"That's not something to be ashamed of, Blaine. Everyone's afraid to get hurt." Kurt was confused when Blaine shook his head.

"No, it's not just heartbreak I'm afraid of," he said. "I…" he took a deep breath.

"You don't have to tell me, Blaine."

"No, I want to, it's just hard, especially now. Honestly I haven't told anyone in a while. The only person I talk to about it nowadays is Kayleigh, and we don't talk about it that much because we've gotten through it." He took another breath and Kurt waited patiently once more. "The last time I really opened up to someone—and I mean about everything—was my freshman year of college."

"What happened?"

"I had a boyfriend… Casey." Blaine nodded towards the pictures hanging on the wall that Kurt saw the last time he was over. "He was my best friend and I really actually let him in. He knew me better than anyone, my parents, my brother, and all of my other friends. He was the last person I was ever really comfortable enough to be around, to share everything with. He was… everything to me. I loved him and he loved me, and we here happy and I was comfortable with myself whenever he was there. He made me everything I am." Blaine paused and looked longingly at the pictures for a moment. Kurt was silent and watched him as he seemed to temporarily fade back into the memories before speaking once more.

"My… my senior year, just a month or so before I graduated, he was on his way back here to our apartment and…" Blaine trailed off and had to wipe at tears beginning to flow from his eyes.

"Hey, Blaine, shh, it's okay. You don't have to finish. It's okay." Kurt comforted, pulling Blaine close.

"No, it's… he got into a car accident on the way home. They rushed him to the emergency room, but he was gone before they even got there. I wasn't called until a few hours later and… I just felt so empty. Like everything I poured my heart into was shattered and left behind. And I didn't even get to… to—"

"Oh, Blaine, I'm so sorry," Kurt said sincerely. There was no pity in his voice, just genuine sympathy for what Blaine had gone through. Blaine allowed Kurt to wrap him in his arms, seeking the comfort of Kurt's familiar scent.

"It's okay, I've coped and moved on from it, it's just hard to talk about sometimes. Especially today, it's his birthday." Blaine sighed and wiped under one of his eyes once more. "He's such a big part of who I am… Which is weird to say, but I honestly wouldn't be anywhere near as driven as I am without him. He was always supportive and nothing less than my biggest fan and he just gave me so much confidence all throughout college that…" Blaine paused again and sniffled a bit. After catching his breath, he continued.

"I miss him a lot, still. I'd probably still be with him if he were here, and I'd be more confident with myself and… Oh God, I'm sorry, Kurt. I didn't mean it like that." Blaine said, immediately lifting his head to look at Kurt. He really did believe that he and Casey would still be together if he were alive, but he didn't want Kurt to think that he didn't appreciate everything he's done for Blaine. Kurt had been a big help in boosting his confidence, even in the few short weeks that he'd known him.

"I know; don't worry." Kurt said, settling back into the couch and pulling Blaine into him. They were silent for a few minutes and Kurt absently stroked Blaine's arm, much like Blaine did the other night when he was comforting Kurt. "For the record, though," Kurt said quietly, "Thank you for telling me."

"I'm glad I could," Blaine breathed.

"All of those songs you wrote," Kurt started to ask, thinking back to the lyrics he'd heard time and time again, "and a lot of the ones you cover for that matter… they're about him, aren't they?"

"Most of them, in some way or another. I wrote a lot of them in college, some while he was still alive and we were together. We were good for each other."

"Is that why you're so confident when you sing?" Kurt wondered.

"What do you mean?" Blaine tilted his head to look at Kurt from where it rested on his shoulder.

"You said he gave you confidence, and most of your songs are about him." Kurt said with a slight shrug.

"Yeah, I guess. I think when I'm playing music I can just imagine I'm still in our apartment playing for him like I always did, knowing he would never judge me. I don't know. But yeah, I had a lot more confidence when I was with him. I knew he would always support me in every decision I made. I needed that when I was with him."

"What about now?"

"Now… not as much. Because I still have some of that confidence through my music, as you've noticed. It's when I'm not singing that's the problem."

"Well, that's what I'm here for," Kurt said as Blaine hugged him tighter.

"Yes," Blaine said against his shoulder. "Thank you for listening."

Kurt turned to kiss his forehead, "Thank you for opening up to me."

* * *

So what do you think? We get a "part two" to Blaine's story in the next chapter so you can look forward to that soon! Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

-Rae


	12. Chapter 12

So here is part two to Blaine's story. It's a little rougher this time around because it gets into how he handled everything he went through, which to be honestly, wasn't well. In any case, enjoy!

* * *

Blaine wasn't sure what time it was when they had fallen asleep; he just remembered that they weren't supposed to. He woke up Sunday morning with his face buried in the crook between Kurt's neck and shoulder and his arms encircling his waist, snuggled tightly to his side on the couch in the living room. Kurt's arms were wrapped around Blaine's torso as well; it seemed they hadn't moved much from the position they were in mere hours before when Blaine had shared with Kurt exactly what today meant to him. Well, not _exactly._

He was painfully aware of the terrible memories of this date that he _hadn't _shared with his newfound friend. He wasn't sure he wanted to. He knew this year wouldn't be like that though. Well, he was pretty sure anyway, so long as he stayed sober.

For now he pushed those thoughts aside and took comfort in the warmth of Kurt's body tucked close to his. They shouldn't have fallen asleep, Blaine knew, but he couldn't help but indulge himself in the security and solace he had so little of as of late, especially today.

A low hum by his ear brought him back to reality and he tried to sit up, only to be pulled tighter into Kurt's arms. He let out a low chuckle and squeezed Kurt's arm gently to bring him to full consciousness.

"Kurt… Kurt…" Blaine whispered as he shook his arm. "Wake up, Kurt."

"Mm?" Kurt mumbled ineloquently as he opened his eyes slowly. His hair was ruffled and messy, but he still looked flawless as usual. "Oh… Good morning." He said with a sleepy smile, stretching his arms out as much as he could with Blaine still nestled in beside him. "You all right?"

"Yeah," Blaine answered, knowing Kurt was referring to the events of the previous night. "I'm sorry," he said as he started to pull away. "I didn't realize I was that tired; I shouldn't have fallen asleep on you. That was really horrible of me to do…" Blaine rambled, but Kurt stretched a bit more and just chuckled.

"It's okay, Blaine; you have nothing to apologize for. I'm just as much at fault as you are, and it's not like either of us didn't realize what we were doing." Kurt looked at him expectantly, waiting for Blaine to relax.

"You're right, sorry." Blaine nodded. "I just didn't want you to be uncomfortable." He started to get up and head towards the kitchen. "Coffee?"

"I'd love some." Kurt said as he stood. "I'm just going to go and freshen up, I'll be out in a minute." Blaine nodded and set to work on the coffee pot while dark and painful memories of previous years crept up on him once more. The memories clogged his senses; the strong smells, firm touches, hazy eyes, and bitter tastes. He watched the pot as coffee was slowly brewing, but his eyes were unfocused and lost, his mind lost among other thoughts and feelings.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Kurt said softly, his head tilted to the side slightly as he walked towards Blaine, eyes full of concern.

"Just… lost in the past few years I guess." Blaine tried to shrug it off, but Kurt took a different angle.

"Is there something you wanted to do today? Go visit his grave or anything? I can leave if you wanted to spend it alone, I understand." Kurt waited for Blaine to respond as he tried to read Blaine's features. "What do you normally do today?" Kurt tried when Blaine didn't speak. Blaine felt his eyes stinging immediately as he turned away, trying to wipe away his memories. He would be okay this year; he had to be.

"Hey," Kurt's gentle hand rested on his shoulder and tugged lightly to turn him back around. "You don't have to be ashamed of being upset, Blaine. It's just me."

"It's not that," Blaine shook his head incessantly. "Part of the reason I'm upset is because it's Casey's birthday, but the other reason is because I've never really been _okay _today. In the past, I mean." Blaine tried to busy himself by pouring coffee, but he couldn't stop his hands from shaking. Kurt came around from behind him and took over patiently.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kurt asked, leading him over to the kitchen table.

"Remember when I told you Kayleigh and I were just acquaintances and she helped me when I needed her?" Blaine started after a long period of silence.

"Yes," Kurt nodded.

"She and Casey were friends, that's how I met her. After Casey died… I was a wreck. I completely ignored the world around me and buried myself in my school work until I graduated—which I didn't even need to do because almost all of my final concerts and performances were done by that time—but the extra work gave me a way to distract myself until I was done with then after that I applied to jobs everywhere and got so lost in that. I barely gave myself any time to feel. I ignored all of my friends and didn't talk to anyone; I was just consumed with any work I could find.

"I got hired at the company I work for now, but I wasn't going to be able to start until August, so I had nothing to do, and I just completely lost it. I was out of my mind; I barely ate or slept, I spent hours and days even, sitting at the piano or with my guitar playing songs I don't remember and crying my eyes out even though it had to be impossible for any tears to be left." Blaine shuddered briefly, taking a sip of his coffee to calm him down.

"I'm guessing Kayleigh helped you out of that?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah," Blaine nodded, but kept his eyes away from Kurt, away from a judging gaze that was sure to come after he heard the remainder of the story. "By the time Casey's birthday rolled around, I decided, in the worst possible way, that I needed to just get over it and start my life as it was. I crumpled up all of my sheet music and threw my music books all over the place and then destroying my music room wasn't enough, so I just left and went out to the shadiest gay bar I could find on the outskirts of town and just _made_ myself forget." Blaine's eyes watered again and he sniffled, feeling Kurt's hand grasp his own.

"I drank more than I ever had in my life, and just lost all control and…" Blaine braced himself, "I hooked up with some guy whose name I didn't even _know_ in the alley behind the club, and then I went back inside and did the same thing in the storage closet with one of the bartenders. And for the rest of the week I went back every night only to get completely wasted and go home with anyone who would take me. I just…" Blaine choked back a sob, so ashamed of what he did, of how lost he had become in the few months following Casey's death. He tried to pull his hand away from Kurt's, wanting to curl up in himself and sulk in his disgrace and humiliation for being so vulnerable, but Kurt held on tighter.

"Blaine, don't pull away," Kurt said in a soothing voice. "I'm not gong to judge you for what you've done." Kurt scooted his chair closer and rubbed Blaine's back in slow circles, causing Blaine to look up at him questioningly with tired, teary eyes. "We all need comfort, right?" Kurt looked at him reassuringly, his big blue eyes shining, but Blaine shook his head.

"That's not comfort, Kurt, that's throwing everything Casey and I had back in his face because I wanted to blame him and be angry at him for leaving me here all alone."

"That's okay, you know." Kurt murmured after a moment. "It's okay to be mad at him. And even if it wasn't the best method, it's okay that you wanted to forget."

"But I—"

"Blaine," Kurt interrupted, looking deeply into Blaine's eyes and brushing a thumb against his cheek, wiping away some of the tear streaks that Blaine had given up on trying to wipe away himself, seeing as they just kept coming. "I know. I know how it is to feel so low that you'd do anything just to get your mind off of it. And trust me when I tell you that hearing this does not change my opinion of you at all. If anything it makes me appreciate you more. You've been through so much and you're still amazing." Blaine blinked up at Kurt dumbfounded. His eyes searched Kurt's deep blue ones for a moment before he nearly launched himself off his seat and attached his lips to Kurt's.

This kiss was much deeper than previous kisses they shared. Blaine put everything into it, trying to show Kurt how grateful he was to have him there, not judging him for all he'd done and telling him that it was okay. It was desperate, far more so than any of their previously chaste kisses. Blaine forced himself to pull back, reminding himself that he didn't want to get carried away. Not with Kurt.

"Shit, I'm sorry." Blaine said hurriedly against Kurt's lips as he pulled away. "I just— thank you. For what you said." He looked apprehensively at Kurt, but he didn't see any anger in his face. A little shock, maybe, but no anger.

"I meant it. I'm proud of how far you've come from what you just told me." Kurt smiled sincerely, and Blaine returned it with a half smile.

"I suppose I should finish telling you that…" He wiped at his eye and continued from where he left off. "About a week after I started going to the bar, I was headed home with some guy, drunk out of my mind like I was every night before, when Kayleigh saw me half draped over the guy I was with and dragged me away and took me back to her place.

"I woke up with the worst hangover and treated Kayleigh like crap when I found out where I was and what she had stopped me from doing, but she just gave me a glass of water and waited. She was just looking at me like she was waiting for me to break, silently asking me why I had gotten myself into that mess and why I hadn't tried to talk to someone and I broke down.

"I don't remember much of what happened after that, but I remember I cried for hours and hours and stayed at her place that night and she was just _there _for me. We talked forever about silly things and she helped me get up on my feet again. She talked to me every day that summer and stopped by here almost everyday just to make sure I was okay and that I wasn't doing anything stupid. She called Casey's parents one weekend and helped the three of us clean my apartment out… I was close with them and they were apparently getting worried about me, so thanks to Kayleigh I'm _still _very close with them. I was so, so grateful to have her to pick me back up." Blaine took a long swig of his coffee as Kurt spoke.

"You're lucky to have her, she seems like such a good person." He commented seriously.

"She is. She's the sole reason I was able to get myself back in check. I was so much better because she kept an eye on me, and she was there for me through everything after that. Well… almost." Blaine's voice faltered at the last bit.

"What happened?"

"Another reason I'm distracted today is because last year didn't go so well either. I… Kayleigh told me she'd spend the day with me here to make sure I was okay, but she ended up having to go to her parents' house for a family emergency she had to take care of. I tried _so _hard, but I just couldn't take it, being here all alone, and finally I just left, and I went back to the bar and lost control again." Blaine ran a hand through his curly, messy bed-head (well, couch-head) and sighed.

"I was at some other guy's apartment, ready to get in his bed and I sobered up so quickly when I realized there was absolutely no reason _why_ I was doing it, and I just left. I walked all the way back to my apartment, I can't even tell you how long it took. But I called Kayleigh as soon I got home, despite the fact that it was 4:30 in the morning, and I just sobbed on the phone with her, apologizing for being stupid and she came over the next morning and talked to me and… I was okay, and I am now, but this day doesn't really have a good track record for me. And I always feel so guilty because it's Casey's birthday; I should be doing something positive instead of bringing myself down more."

"You're okay this year, though, right? You're not going to do that again." Kurt sounded so sure.

"I know, but I thought I wouldn't last year, too, and look what happened. I'm just afraid I'll fall into that stupid, depressing state again." Blaine rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"But you won't do it this year; I know you won't." Kurt started rubbing small circles on Blaine's back again.

"How do you know that?"

"Well for one, you already feel guilty right now. I don't even think you'll go near that place, let alone go home with someone there," Kurt paused and then smirked. "And two, now you're starting to get in the media, we can't have you cheating on me, that will ruin the whole plan!" Blaine let out a choked laugh at that, and Kurt was glad he was able to lift his mood.

"Thank you. For listening, talking, understanding, everything. Thank you for everything." Blaine said, taking Kurt's hand and giving him a smile.

"I'll always be here if you need me," Kurt twisted their fingers as they sipped their coffee, enjoying the moment together.


	13. Chapter 13

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all of the love from the last couple chapters! Especially all of the Casey love. He holds a really special spot in my heart (even though I created him and killed him... writer problems...) and it means a lot that you guys are sympathetic about him for Blaine. I used a song in this chapter for Casey and honestly when I first heard it, it hit me like a freight train and I knew immediately I had to use it for him. I started crying when I heard it and it just fit really perfectly so I hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

_Been&Done: [PHOTO] Kurt Hummel seen arriving at a party Saturday night (6/23/18) with the same man from the __coffee shop__ earlier this week. Some sources say he's Kurt's new boyfriend, but can the rumors be true? Has our untouchable Hollywood hottie finally found a beau?_

* * *

"Blaine, you better have a damn good reason as to why you never called me back yesterday. I was worried sick." Kayleigh huffed in Blaine's doorway the following evening with a stern expression. Blaine, to her surprise, he could tell, just smiled at her. _Smiled. _She'd called Blaine at least a dozen times and all she'd gotten in response was a very vague text that simply read, "I'm okay" and nothing more. And here Blaine had the nerve to _smile _at her.

"Sorry, I was busy." Blaine shrugged and moved back to allow Kayleigh into his apartment. She was struggling with controlling her expression, and he could tell she couldn't stay mad.

"Judging by the smile you just gave me I'm going to assume you were otherwise occupied in a _good _way." She kicked off her shoes and plopped herself on the couch, setting her crossed ankles on the coffee table and waiting with crossed arms and an impatient glare. Blaine just laughed and continued to beat around the bush to annoy her.

"Would you like something to drink? I think I have some lemonade in here some—"

"BLAINE DEVON ANDERSON GET YOUR ASS IN HERE RIGHT NOW!" She screamed. Blaine scurried into the living room and sat on the couch gingerly as she watched him with angry eyes. "Please tell me, _reassure _me, that you're avoiding the topic because you were okay? You weren't somewhere you didn't want to be?" Her expression softened as she spoke quietly and searched Blaine's eyes.

"I was okay. I promise I didn't go back. I was fine yesterday, Kay. I was more than fine. I was _happy._" Blaine let out a breath and let a small smile etch his features. Kayleigh looked at him a little suspiciously, confusion and concern mixed in her expression.

"I told Kurt." Blaine said simply, turning to face her. Her face immediately fell to shock, and Blaine was well aware why. He _never _shared things.

"Wait, all of it? Or just his birthday?"

"All of it. Everything." Kayleigh jumped up at the next moment and nearly bounced into his lap with excitement.

"BLAINE! Blaine, I can't believe you told him!" She smiled ecstatically. "I'm so proud of you, B. Really, I am." She hugged him tight and Blaine returned it. As hard as it had always been in the past to even mention the topic, it was so easy to tell Kurt everything. Blaine was honestly proud of himself, too. He never told anyone about those horrible moments. It was way too hard for him to open up like that. But he was glad he did with Kurt. It felt like a big weight had been lifted from between them.

"So what happened?!" She bounced on the couch again, "What did he say? Did he take it okay?"

"Yeah, he… I told him after we went to that party—"

"Which you still have to tell me about."

"—and he was really understanding and comforting." Kayleigh started absently massaging Blaine's palm as she listened, and Blaine hummed his appreciation.

"So what exactly happened? When did you tell him?" She persisted.

"Saturday night… Well, no, Sunday morning. I was still at the party around midnight, and I went outside 'cause I just needed to take a breath, and Kurt insisted we go home. When we got here I told him all about Casey and I told him it was his birthday and it was always a hard day for me. So then the next day I—"

"WAIT, DID HE SLEEP OVER?" Kayleigh yelled in the middle of Blaine's sentence. Blaine rolled his eyes.

"Kayleigh." He sounded annoyed.

"Blaine." She shot back.

"_Kayleigh_."

"_Blaine_."

"Are we really doing this?"

"_Blaaaaine._"

"Ugh, fine. Yes, he slept over, but nothing happened. We fell asleep while talking, I swear." Blaine rolled his eyes as Kayleigh squealed at the gossip she just received. "Kayleigh, you have to swear not to tell _anyone _what I tell you about us, okay? The last thing we need is some scandal in the tabloids." Kayleigh promised and urged him to continue. "So the next morning I told him about what happened last year and the year before and he just… took it all in stride, I guess. He didn't judge me or anything and he comforted me and I was so relieved, Kay."

"Good. You deserve that. I'm so proud of you and happy for you. I know it's going to be hard, and I know it's really early, but I think you guys can make this work. You need someone who gets you like he does." Kayleigh just giggled a bit when Blaine raised an eyebrow at her in confusion. "You can't tell me you don't see the way he looks at you, B. He looks like a lost puppy, or something. I don't know; you guys just seem to fit together."

Blaine wished he could have stopped her, but he didn't want to give it away. So instead he just listened to Kayleigh, and listened to how good they were at faking it. He smiled his way through.

"So where were you yesterday, anyway?" She finally asked. This time, a real smile spread across Blaine's lips.

"We went to go see Casey." Blaine felt a little guilty when he saw Kayleigh's shocked features. He never went with anyone. Not even Kayleigh. He saw Casey's parents there once, but that was coincidence. He preferred to go visit Casey's grave alone. "We bought flowers and went to the cemetery and then we went for a really long drive and ended up on some deserted beach and stayed there all day. I barely even thought about it." Blaine got lost in the memories from the previous day, just the two of them doing silly things for hours, not having a care in the world.

* * *

_"I haven't been too forward, have I? With all of this?" Kurt asked after a long, comfortable silence between the two of them. They sat on the beach and just watched the waves crash, only talking when they had something to say. Other than that, it was relaxed and they sat together, content in the quiet company._

_Blaine leaned back on his palms and stretched his legs out in front of him, wiggling his toes in the warm sand. "Kurt, you're doing anything but overstepping. Trust me. I know I told you that I never really share this with anyone, barely even Kayleigh, but I'm really glad you're here right now." Blaine admitted earnestly. He looked over at Kurt, who was basking in the sunshine with a subtle smile on his face._

_"Are you sure? I feel like I kind of took over and intruded. I know this is a big part of you. I could see that from the beginning, even before I knew the full story." Kurt looked a little hesitant, but turned to Blaine for an answer, nonetheless._

_"I'm positive. This… This has been one of the best days I've had in a while. Especially since this particular date in the past hasn't had the best track record for me." Blaine shrugged, though it was palpable that it still bothered him._

_"I'm glad I could help. I just don't want you to feel like I'm… imposing or taking something away."_

_"You're not. I promise." They watched the waves roll over and over, the sea foam rocking back and forth up and down the beach as the water carried it. It was quiet for a minute before Kurt spoke up again._

_"Will you play something for him?"_

_"Right now?" Blaine asked, turning to face him again._

_"Oh, don't pretend you don't have your guitar in the car. You take that thing with you everywhere." Kurt teased and Blaine gaped, slightly embarrassed. "In all seriousness, though, I think you should." _

_"Are you sure you're not just trying to get a free song out of me?" Blaine's voice was also teasing as he started to brush the sand off of his hands._

_"No, I really think you should play for him today. You sing about him all the time, for a bunch of other people, but when is the last time you sang for _him_?" Kurt asked simply._

_"It's been a while," Blaine admitted. He walked the short distance back to where his car was parked and grabbed his guitar from the back seat. When he returned, Kurt had folded his legs beneath himself to get more comfortable. Blaine sat down cross-legged as well and rested his guitar on his knee as he started to pluck at the strings. Kurt continued to watch the waves as Blaine began to play._

Oh, I built a world around you  
Oh, you had me in a dream,  
I lived in every word you said  
The stars had aligned  
I thought that I found you  
And I don't wanna love somebody else

_Blaine's voice cracked with emotion as he sang, but that didn't stop him from carrying on. Not knowing where else to look, he looked out at the sea, memorizing the way the waves broke as they came into shallow water. He could almost pretend that he was singing to someone right in front of him._

Oh, we left it all unspoken  
Oh, we buried it alive  
and now it's screaming in my head  
Oh, I shouldn't go on hoping  
Oh, that you will change your mind  
and one day we could start again  
Well I don't care if loneliness kills me  
I don't wanna love somebody else

_Blaine's eyes stung as he played, but he had to admit that Kurt was right. He felt a weight lifting off of his shoulders, and he was _happy._ So incredibly happy. It felt silly, but he actually felt like he was singing to Casey again, not just for him, not just about him. It was liberating. _

Oh, I thought that I could change you  
Oh, I thought that we would be the greatest story that I tell  
I know that it's time to tell you it's over  
But I don't wanna love somebody else

_He wiped a few tears as he finished and sniffled a little bit as he looked over to Kurt, only to notice that Kurt had tears staining his cheeks as well. Kurt wiped at them with the back of his hand and cleared his throat._

_"I feel like I just eavesdropped on something private. I'm sorry." Kurt's voiced broke as he spoke, clearly trying to hold back the emotion._

_"It's okay," Blaine whispered, his voice equally choked back. "I'm glad you suggested that. I really did need that." Blaine leaned over and kissed his cheek, the salty remains of Kurt's tears staining his lips. "Thank you."_

_"You're welcome." Kurt cleared his throat again and stood up, brushing the sand from his clothes. "Now come on," He held a hand out to Blaine and helped him stand. "Last one down to the water gets dunked!" He laughed as he raced down the beach and Blaine chased after him, laughing harder than he thought he could._

* * *

"I told you." Kayleigh said with an earnest smile as she watched Blaine's expression change while he thought back to the day before.

"Told me what?" Blaine turned to her.

"That you two are perfect for each other." She nudged his shoulder knowingly.

"You don't even know Kurt, Kayleigh. How do you know we're perfect for each other?"

"I don't know, it just fits. Kurt and Blaine." She shrugged, as if it were the simplest thing to understand. Oh, how wrong she was about that.

* * *

Things didn't get complicated. Not much anyway. For the next few weeks, Kurt strategically planned out when they would meet up in public and where, when they would go to certain places together, and more importantly, when they would start to show some signs of affection.

Kayleigh ripped the page out of the first tabloid magazine that showed a picture of Kurt and Blaine holding hands and thrust it into Blaine's face the second he walked into Giovanni's for his show for the evening. Gio had a good laugh when he saw it, wishing Blaine well and giving him a warm, knowing smile.

Blaine was surprised by how easily everything came to him. He and Kurt would go out to parties or social events that weren't too press-heavy and Blaine would relatively be okay. He was still quiet, allowing Kurt to do most of the talking and only speaking when spoken to, but for the most part he sounded fairly confident and barely stumbled over his words, which only happened when Kurt wasn't there for reassurance. They were able to put on the perfect show.

"Oh, look, Blaine!" Kurt chattered happily from his seat backstage at Gio's before Blaine's show. "Emily just emailed me; they found you." Kurt tapped on his phone a few more times and pulled up a page on the TMZ website. Sure enough, there was a picture from a few nights ago of Blaine sitting on a stool on the stage at Giovanni's during one of his sets. There was a small excerpt about who he was, meaning that he'd been seen with Kurt a lot and there was speculation that they were dating. It also gave a short description of his performance, which Blaine was pleased about, seeing as it was all pretty positive.

"I guess that means I need to play really well tonight, or I may lose my TMZ fans…" Blaine chuckled, handing the phone back to Kurt. Kurt chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"You'll be fine. Break a leg!" He said as Blaine grabbed his guitar. Blaine smiled and made his way out to the stage, taking a seat on the stool and introducing himself. He'd been more open on the stage as well as off as of late, and he really couldn't help but think that it had to do with Kurt.

_So many moons have come and gone all alone  
__I heard this song inside me to wait  
__I was told but now I found a different sound  
__I hear when you're around me  
__It's something new because of you  
__I hope I hear it forever_

_My, my love  
__I've been without you too long  
__My, my love  
__I've been running too fast to belong to anyone  
__But then you came along_

Blaine couldn't help but notice a few camera flashes as he sang. Well, better get used to it. He smiled a little as he sang, thinking there must be some kind of roadblock waiting ahead. There was no possible way this whole deal should be this easy. And yet here he was, in pure bliss, more ready to take on the world ahead than he'd ever been.

_You warm me like sunshine  
__You cool me like summer rain  
__Just let me sit down beside you  
__Over and over again_

_My, my love  
__I've been without you too long  
__My, my love  
__I've been running too fast to belong to anyone  
__But then you came along_

"Blaine!" Gio said as he strolled into the room after the show, greeting Kurt as usual. "You brought me a lot of business tonight with that set of yours, I'm so proud of you!" He said as he hugged Blaine tightly.

"I don't think that was my doing, but thank you," He chuckled, packing his guitar up.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Gio laughed. "You'll be having record companies begging for you soon enough." Blaine blushed and smiled, thanking Gio once more before heading out the back door with Kurt.

"I think you're ready. What do you think?" Kurt said as they walked through the streets together.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I'm not worried about fooling anyone; I'm just worried about the press interviews… I've never done anything like that. What if I vomit from nervousness?" Blaine asked, only half sincere.

"That won't happen, I promise. I'll be right there with you, remember? I'll be there until you can handle this on your own." Kurt vowed, taking his hand.

"Well as long as you're there on Saturday for the press party I probably won't throw up. Stutter, most likely, but not vomit." Blaine shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal, but in reality, he was boiling with nerves; he couldn't believe the summer had flown by so quickly and August was barely a week away. Fortunately, he was fairly good at hiding his anxiousness. Well, hiding it from everyone except Kurt.

"Blaine, look at me." Kurt said, stopping in the middle of the deserted sidewalk. Blaine obliged shyly. "You'll be fine, I swear. You don't realize how amazing you are. You can do this, and soon enough you'll be able to brave this without me. Trust me, you'll be okay." Kurt smiled and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, which Blaine returned immediately. "Come on, we should get out of here." He whispered against his lips as he barely pulled away with a smile.

Kurt was right, Blaine thought as they continued to walk away from Giovanni's. He could do this. Kurt would be there with him to help. He would be okay.

* * *

Song list for the chapter:  
I Don't Wanna Love Somebody Else - A Great Big World  
My My Love - Joshua Radin

Thanks for reading! - Rae


	14. Chapter 14

Blaine was nearly close to passing out with nerves in the backseat of the SUV. His eyes kept darting around and his knee was violently shaking as he tapped his fingers on the seat beside him. He must have been bothering Kurt, but he couldn't help it. They were going to be interviewed, which meant Blaine would have to talk. Tell a little something about himself or something like that. Because people would want to know. Everyone would want to know all about him as soon as they found out he was Kurt's _boyfriend. _He was about ready to ditch the plan as the SUV slowed to a stop in the line of cars, waiting for their turn to exit.

"Blaine," Kurt said quietly in a comforting voice. He took one of Blaine's shaking hands in both of his. "Relax, Blaine. You can do this. _We _can do this. You have nothing to be nervous about." He tried to take a deep breath but it didn't work as well as he had hoped.

"I'm just… What if I embarrass you? You've been nothing but helpful to me, what if I mess all of that up?" Blaine said worriedly, avoiding Kurt's gaze. True, he was so nervous about his first interview, but he was even more nervous about screwing this up for Kurt. He sighed and began drumming his fingers against the pad of his thumb.

"You are not going to mess anything up, I promise. I'll be right there, remember?" Kurt reassured, tilting his head down to look into Blaine's eyes. When he didn't look up, Kurt rested a hand against his cheek and pulled his gaze towards Kurt's. "I promise I will give us an out if you get too uncomfortable, okay?" Blaine nodded and closed his eyes, taking as deep a breath as he could manage to try to relax. Kurt's firm grip on his hand helped keep him grounded. He could do this.

"Are you ready?" Kurt asked, his voice low and his hand giving Blaine's a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready. Just… stay close?" Blaine asked tentatively.

"Of course," Kurt kissed his cheek gently and led the way out of the car, his grip never leaving Blaine's. Immediately, camera's started flashing and paparazzi started shouting, trying to get their attention. Blaine focused on Kurt, mimicking his movements as far as where to look and when to smile. After a few moments, they entered the building together where the press party would be held, where all the real interviews would happen.

"How are your eyes?" Kurt asked with a light chuckle. Blaine felt like he was going blind for a moment when the flashing of the cameras outside had started, but he found he got used to it very quickly.

"Fine, actually. I didn't expect to get used to it so fast." Blaine shrugged.

"Lucky. I was rubbing my eyes for about ten minutes after that happened to me for the first time." Kurt laughed. "Come on, we can go talk to a few of my costars until the interviewers start to make their rounds, okay?" Blaine nodded and gestured for Kurt to lead the way, which brought them over to Russ, who seemed very pleased to see Blaine again.

"Hey guys! Blaine, it's great to see you again!" Russ shook his hand firmly with a large, genuine smile. "Been well, I hope?" Blaine smiled and made polite conversation. He really liked Russ, and talking with him actually calmed him down a bit. Russ was just telling him that he'd have to join Kurt at Giovanni's one night to catch one of his shows when a tall blonde woman with a microphone interrupted the three of them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but do you think I could get a quick word?" Kurt gestured for Russ to go first and pulled Blaine to the side while the woman asked questions that Blaine didn't hear. The nerves were building again.

"Don't worry," Kurt soothed. "It'll be over before you know it. And you have nothing to worry about, anyway. She's the first one, so she'll mainly focus on the show before she thinks to ask about you. Trust me." Kurt squeezed his hand as the woman made her way over to them.

"And here we have Kurt Hummel! How are you? Ready to start up a new season of _Far From the End?_"

"Yes, I definitely am. It's been a nice break, this summer, but I can't wait to get started again, I've had too much free time!" Blaine studied Kurt (without making it too obvious, there was a camera on them, after all) as he was being interviewed, talking about the show and how the last season ended and what was to come. He was so confident and relaxed. Blaine wished he could be at that point one day. Hopefully that would be sooner rather than later.

"So, Kurt," the woman's dropped to a less professional tone, and Blaine could tell what was coming. Kayleigh's voice had the same tone every time she found out the latest juicy gossip and just _had _to know more and share it. "There have been plenty of rumors flying around about you and this handsome fellow here next to you." She gestured to Blaine with a wink. "Can you confirm any of these speculations?"

Kurt smiled and squeezed Blaine's hand lightly for one last bit of reassurance. "This is my boyfriend, Blaine Anderson." Blaine smiled when Kurt gestured to him.

"It's nice to put a name to the face we've been seeing all summer. Now, you're a musician, right Blaine?"

"Yes," Blaine spoke with all he could muster, doing his best to sound confident. "I play at Giovanni's downtown a few nights a week." He cleared his throat silently and smiled once more as the woman began to question how they met, which Kurt took over in answering, explaining how he just _had _to talk to Blaine after he heard him sing. Satisfied with the exclusive scoop she just received, the interviewer thanked them, and closed her interview to the camera. Kurt shuffled them along a few feet away.

"I told you you'd be okay!" Kurt exclaimed, squeezing Blaine's arm. Blaine laughed and visibly relaxed. Kurt was right; he was fine.

"Thank you," Blaine whispered sincerely, wanting Kurt to understand just how grateful he was for everything.

"Come on," Kurt tugged his arm and led the way to a somewhat crowded area. "Let's enjoy the party." Blaine obliged, and found once again that he liked the company of Kurt's fellow cast members. He could see that Kurt felt at home with them and he was able to be his likable, confident self. Blaine relaxed as the night went on, bombarded by interviewers here and there while he was by Kurt's side. He slowly became a little more open, saying more than just one sentence from time to time. Maybe, with a little help and a slight push, maybe he could do this.

"I'm really proud of you," Kurt murmured into his ear after yet another interviewer let them be. It was a press party, after all. Blaine couldn't say anything; there was nothing else he could say to get the point across that he never could have even made it this far without Kurt right there giving him that push. In lieu of yet another seemingly meaningless "thank you," Blaine leaned forward and kissed him. Just a light peck on the corner of his mouth, nothing too much to stir up trouble, but enough to show him how appreciative he was. He heard a small click and saw a quick flash, but he didn't care. Kurt didn't seem to pay attention to it either, as he smiled at Blaine and laced their fingers together again.

"I'm glad you came tonight. It's more fun with you here," Kurt grinned as he grabbed each of them another drink.

"Really? I feel like I'm intruding." Blaine admitted. "I mean, everyone's been more than welcoming, but I'm just not used to this yet, I guess." He sipped his drink as they walked over to a table in the corner to sit for a while; they'd been on their feet all night.

"You're not intruding, I promise. Honestly, everyone seems to love you. I don't think you realize just how charming you are." Kurt winked over the rim of his glass as he took a sip while Blaine blushed deeply. He wasn't sure how to respond.

"So," Kurt said as he set his glass on the table. "Now that we're officially dating, I'm afraid one Miss Rachel Berry is going to be threatening to start digging out the animal sweaters until she gets to meet you." He paused for a moment. "She bribed me with tickets to _Evita _to come and visit. So what do you say? Think you can take a mini vacation to New York with me before I start filming again?"

Blaine paused and thought for a moment. They'd talked about this before, and he couldn't deny his excitement at the thought of spending a weekend in New York City. Not to mention he'd have Kurt there with him, who surely knew the city like the back of his hand from the few years he lived there.

"I'd love to. When are we going?" Blaine said confidently. Kurt squealed a little bit as a huge grin spread on his face. He immediately dove into a long monologue of places they should go and things they should see while they were there and they'd only have four days to do so much. Blaine just listened intently, perfectly happy to let Kurt drabble on about their upcoming trip in a few weeks. Blaine would have to take a few days off of work, but he didn't mind at all. He was going to New York.

* * *

_Been&Done: [STORY & PHOTO] CONFIRMED! Kurt Hummel announced at last night's _Far From the End_Press Party__ that this lovely fellow (pictured below) is in fact Kurt's boyfriend! Blaine Anderson is a musician at Giovanni's Italian restaurant downtown. So what's the deal with this new adorable couple and how did they meet? Check out our press party __interview__ with Kurt Hummel to hear about what's to come on the show and all the details about Blaine!_

* * *

"I should just warn you," Kurt said as they worked their way through the crowds at LaGuardia. "Rachel can be a little… overbearing. She's definitely toned it down since I first met her, but just be warned. She means well, but sometimes she can be over the top."

Blaine nodded as the two of them left the airport, carry-on bags in tow. Kurt stood on the side of the road and immediately hailed a cab, and Blaine guessed when you lived in New York, even for a short period of time, all of the tricks never left. He gawked at the buildings, still unable to believe he was in New York. As they drove through the city, Kurt pointed out a few things here and there that were significant to him in some way or another from when he first moved there. They were on their way into the West Village when Kurt's phone rang in his pocket. Blaine politely tuned out of the conversation, fascinated by the city, until he heard his name.

"Yes, Blaine's here, Rachel. I told you he was coming with me." Kurt rolled his eyes playfully with a smile when Blaine looked over questioningly.

"Yeah, sure, I'll let him know." Kurt continued, still looking at Blaine. "We should be there in a little while, we just have to stop at our hotel first." There was a pause, then, "Okay, love you, too, Rach." Kurt chuckled as he hung up, pocketing his phone once more.

"She saw the interviews and wants you to sing for her. I told you she's a little over the top." Kurt smiled guiltily and went on. "You don't have to though; I know from experience that Rachel Berry can be very intimidating."

Blaine steeled himself and looked over at Kurt. "I don't want to offend her or anything… We'll see, I guess." He laughed nervously as the taxi slowed to a stop outside of their hotel. Kurt paid the cabbie and led Blaine inside to check in. Blaine stood anxiously by his side until he was led up to their room to drop off their things. They left almost immediately after they got settled and freshened up a bit.

"It's not a far walk to her apartment, if that's okay?" Kurt asked, pulling out a pair of sunglasses.

"Fine by me!" Blaine grinned and gestured for Kurt to lead the way. He walked along with Kurt while gazing at the buildings that surrounded them. Kurt seemed to know the city like the back of his hand and he and Blaine were standing outside a brick apartment building with a large front stoop within minutes.

"You ready to meet my crazy best friend?" Kurt chuckled as he gestured for Blaine to lead the way up the stairs.

"Am I going to get screamed at when she sees me?" Blaine asked as they climbed the stairs to the third floor where Rachel's apartment was.

"Probably. Just think of it as a practice round for when you're finally on your own concert tour." Kurt winked and led him down the hall; Blaine could feel his nerves growing as they slowed to a stop in front of one of the apartment doors. Kurt barely knocked twice before the door flew open and he was engulfed in a hug by a small woman with long, dark brown hair.

"KURT! You're here! God, I missed you!" Blaine recognized Rachel's voice from the interviews he'd seen and from the Tony performance from the previous year.

"Yes, hello, hello _darling._" Kurt laughed and squeezed her just as tight, nearly falling over from the momentum of Rachel launching herself at him. He seemed under control though, like he was used to her greetings. When Rachel finally pulled back, Kurt smoothed his shirt and placed a hand on Blaine's shoulder. "Rachel, this is Blaine. Blaine, meet the ever wonderfully obnoxious Miss Rachel Berry."

"Keep that up and those animal sweaters are coming out of storage, Hummel." Rachel said with her hands on her hips and her tongue sticking out towards Kurt. She then turned to Blaine with a bright, warm smile. "Nice to meet you, Blaine." She held her hand out for Blaine to shake, which he did. "I'm glad you were able to come out here! This one's been hiding you for so long," She gestured with her thumb over her shoulder towards Kurt, "it's about time he got his best friend's approval."

"Um…" Blaine stuttered, unable to get his nerves down.

"Don't worry, you pass." She winked, then stood out of the doorway. "Sorry, I'm being rude. Come on inside!" She gestured them in and shut the door behind them. "It really is great to meet you, Blaine. I've been waiting for Kurt to find a nice guy out in the West Coast!"

"It's nice to meet you, too." Blaine finally managed. He was all too aware that he had yet to say much, but he hoped he could brush it off as Rachel not really allowing him to get a word in. According to Kurt, she was known for that.

"Do you guys want anything to drink or something? I know it's a long flight. You must be exhausted." Rachel offered as they sat down in the living room.

"Just a glass of water, please," Kurt answered.

"Blaine?" Rachel asked as she pulled a few glasses down from the cabinet.

"Water's fine, thank you." Blaine smiled gently. Rachel returned with two full glasses of water and sat down in the cushioned armchair next to the couch.

"So Blaine," Rachel beamed, "I hear you're a singer?" She prompted with an encouraging smile.

"Well, trying to be, I guess. I play at a restaurant downtown a lot, but other than that it's only a few pubs here and there. I do work for a record company though." Blaine started massaging the palm of his left hand with the thumb on his right, just to give him something to do to tone down his nerves. He found that several minutes into the conversation, however, he didn't need to worry. As intimidating as it was to have Rachel Berry in the room, he found that she wasn't very difficult to talk to, seeing as she did a lot of the talking. Even still, she was easy to hold a conversation with.

It wasn't long before Rachel had to start getting ready for her show (Kurt and Blaine would be going the following night) so the two of them left her to have dinner, intent on finding a place to eat.

"So? Scared off by the crazy yet?" Kurt's eyes went wide and slightly crossed as he gestured with his pointer finger in circles by his face. Blaine couldn't help but laugh at the silly expression as they made their way through the streets.

"She's not bad at all. I was actually okay pretty much the whole time. Once the initial nerves were gone. I really like her, honestly." Blaine assured, allowing Kurt to lead them around town.

"I'm glad. She likes you too, I promise. I think she would like you even better if you sang for her, though." Kurt winked at him. "So, what do you feel like for dinner? I'm game for anything but fast food." Kurt smirked.

"Um… I'm good for anything. Take me somewhere you liked to go when you lived here." Blaine suggested, truly not knowing where they should go for dinner.

"Oh! I know! Do you mind walking? It's not terribly far but—"

"Let's walk; it's nice out. Lead the way!" Blaine gestured and Kurt took his arm, leading him along the sidewalk. "So where are we going?"

"On St. Mark's Place, between 1st and 2nd." Kurt said simply.

"I mean the restaurant." Blaine teased as they crossed the street.

"Oh." Kurt looked embarrassed for a brief moment, but laughed it off. "I'm taking you to one of my favorite restaurants, Café Orlin. It's got pretty standard stuff but it's really good, I promise."

"Sounds perfect," Blaine beamed at him. They walked in silence for most of the way, but it was far from uncomfortable. Blaine noticed a few glances their way, but for the most part, it seemed like people walked by with tunnel vision, ready to get to their destination. That was fine with Blaine. The less attention they got, the better. Kurt was on vacation; he should be able to relax.

Kurt gripped Blaine's arm and steered him along as Blaine continued to admire the sights of the city. It was strange how natural this felt, running around New York City with Kurt. He was glad everything felt that way with him; there was usually barely any awkwardness. They sat down to dinner in a small restaurant with crowded tables, but it felt homey in a strange sort of way. It was dimly lighted and not terribly fancy, but everything about it felt so simple and relaxed. The two of them ate their dinners around their light conversation, commenting on the city and things they've seen and places they wanted to go. They ate dessert (cheesecake of course, Kurt's favorite) and headed out to bright lights of the city once more.

"I know you're probably tired from walking, so do you want to head back to the hotel? We can do site-seeing tomorrow before the show, if you want?" Kurt asked as they headed towards West Village.

"That's fine. I could probably use some rest. I haven't travelled in so long." Blaine smiled and Kurt took his hand, leading them back through the streets. After a few quiet moments, Blaine spoke up. "So what was your favorite place to go when you lived here?"

"Hmm…" Kurt thought for a moment. "Probably… Well, there's one place that I always loved to go, but I don't even think Rachel knows about it. Whenever we went places they were always with a lot of lights so we could 'get used to them' as she would say. I think one of my favorite places is in Central Park, though."

"Oh, really?" Blaine was surprised. Kurt often talked about how much he loved the city, no matter which city it was, New York or Los Angeles. He loved the buzz of everything happening after growing up in a small town for so long. Blaine was surprised his favorite place in the city was somewhere that wasn't very city-like.

"Yeah," Kurt answered, "I love the city, some of my other favorite places are very busy and lively, but there's just something calming about the park that I love. The buzz of the city is still all around me, but it's nice to know I'm not lost in it."

Blaine chuckled a bit and gripped Kurt's hand. "That was very poetic."

"Are you making fun of me?" Kurt asked seriously, to which Blaine laughed a bit more.

"No," Blaine answered truthfully. "I'm really not. I'm just surprised, is all. You always seem like the person who belongs in the spotlight. The park just seems so… desolate for someone like you."

"I guess I still have some of my Ohio roots," Kurt teased. "I'll have to take you there on Sunday. Maybe we'll have a picnic dinner and walk around for the evening." Blaine agreed and they continued to plan the remainder of their weekend as they walked back to the hotel, ready to collapse into their beds minutes after they had gotten there.

* * *

No music for this chapter, but I'll have more in the next one!

Just a quick note: Café Orlin is a real restaurant in Manhattan (on 8th between 1st and 2nd), and the food is delicious! A friend of mine works there so I've been and it's a really cool place, plus it's really popular! A few epsiodes of Smash were filmed there and my friend has served a lot of famous people as well! (Scarlett Johanson, Ewan McGregor, and Joseph Gordon Levitt, just to name a few) But if you're ever in NYC, you should check it out!

See you next time! - Rae


	15. Chapter 15

I'm blown away by how many views this story has! You guys are amazing.

* * *

"God, she's amazing." Blaine whispered as he watched Rachel and the rest of the cast close the first act of _Evita. _He and Kurt had had a long day of wreaking havoc upon the city, visiting various tourist attractions for Blaine, perusing the stores along Fifth Avenue for Kurt, and, of course, bartering in Chinatown for the best deals on mediocre merchandise. Kurt was (predictably) much better at haggling than Blaine, but the two of them had endless fun roaming around and just enjoying each other's company. Blaine was thankful for the anonymity of the city, where people mostly paid only themselves any attention, so that they didn't have to dodge autographs and photos all day long. After a very packed day of adventures in the city, they settled down for a quick dinner and headed off to see Rachel's show at night.

"Tell me about it," Kurt nodded. "Just wait until the second act. She's been singing _Don't Cry For Me Argentina_ since high school and she's only gotten better. Trust me, I sang it with her."

"You did? I would have loved to hear that." Blaine smiled.

"We used to pick the best diva songs from every musical and sing them together for glee club. It was one of our favorite things to do." Kurt shrugged, like it was no big deal.

"I wish I could have heard those. I bet you guys sounded great together."

"Well, I'd like to think so. We both learned a lot from each other, though it's clear to see that Rachel was a natural born Broadway star," Kurt gestured to the stage where the curtain was closed for intermission.

"She is. This is fantastic, thank you." Blaine said sincerely.

"You're welcome," Kurt smiled, "though you should thank Rachel, she got us the tickets."

"Yeah, but you're the one who invited me here. And not just to see the show, but to New York. This is the best trip I've been on in a while." Blaine admitted. Truth be told, he really hadn't been on any trips in a while, let alone any trips that had been as fun and relaxing as this one.

"Well I'm glad you're having a good time for your first trip here. And I'm glad I got to be your tour guide." Blaine didn't answer because the lights began to fade, signaling the start of the second act. They could talk more later on.

* * *

"That was stunning. Just… Wow." Blaine said as soon as the cast left the stage after the curtain call. "We need to go congratulate Rachel on that performance. That was incredible." Kurt laughed and grabbed Blaine's arm to lead him out of the theater and around to the backdoor where Rachel would be exiting after she signed autographs.

"I think she wanted to go out for drinks anyway. We'll wait over here so I don't steal her thunder." He laughed and led Blaine to a secluded corner down the sidewalk from the door.

"Forgive me if I don't drink much…" Blaine trailed off, and Kurt nodded in understanding. It had been over a year, but Blaine was still reminded of his deplorable actions from the past every time the taste of alcohol reached his lips. He was afraid he'd reach the limit again.

"Don't worry, Rachel's a bit of a light weight. She'll have one cosmo and she'll be tipsy." Kurt reassured and gripped Blaine's hand in his. Blaine was about to speak when a girl who looked about fifteen years old approached them cautiously.

"Um… Excuse me, are you Kurt Hummel?" The girl asked. Blaine mentally cursed. He'd hoped they wouldn't be swarmed while they were here and they'd had good luck so far.

"Yes." Kurt grinned happily at her. "What can I do for you, sweetie?" Blaine watched the interaction between the two. Kurt's demeanor changed immediately from casual to professional, but he was still the same friendly face he'd always been. The girl asked him to sign an autograph next to Rachel's on her playbill and Kurt happily obliged. The girl agreed to keep their location a secret (after a wink from Kurt), and left with a wide smile hugging her program to her chest.

"You're amazing, you know that?" Blaine praised.

"Not by a long shot, but thank you." Kurt blushed slightly.

"Hi boys!" Rachel interrupted just then, coming from out of a back door.

"Rachel! Oh my god you were amazing." Blaine gushed, then immediately burned red with embarrassment. He didn't mean to blurt that aloud.

"Thank you, Blaine!" She smiled and offered a hug, which Blaine took gratefully. "So! Are you guys up for some drinks or something? We can go back to my place, I'll open a bottle of wine and we can relax?" She straightened her blouse and raised her eyebrows in question. Kurt looked to Blaine for confirmation, and then turned to Rachel.

"Sure, sounds lovely." Kurt offered his arm to her, a gesture that seemed all too familiar to the two of them, but Rachel batted it away.

"Kurt, I can hardly compare to Blaine. Well, as far as your interests go anyway. Go take his hand." She winked and led the way to her car waiting for her. She and Kurt chattered the whole way back to the apartment, Kurt commenting on new and old actors in the show and how they had improved since the last time he came to see the musical, while Rachel retaliated with how they were behind the scenes and in rehearsals. Blaine listened to their banter, loving every bit of how comfortable they were and how natural their demeanors were around each other.

"Blaine! I still haven't heard you sing! Will you sing for me tonight, please?" Rachel turned around in the front seat to plead. "I have a piano in my apartment, please?" Blaine stared at her puppy face and thought for a minute that she couldn't hold a candle to Kurt's, but he smiled, nonetheless.

"Sure, if you insist." Blaine agreed. Rachel squealed and clapped her hands, turning back to face the front and continuing to rant on about how excited she was to hear his voice. Blaine looked over at Kurt beside him, who smiled and laced their fingers together.

"Sing something good," Kurt whispered as the car came to a stop. "You've probably got two minutes before Rachel sits you down on that piano bench."

"I've got something in mind, don't worry." Blaine smirked.

"Of course you do."

* * *

Kurt followed Rachel up the steps with Blaine close by. He was right, Rachel entered her apartment and immediately grabbed Blaine's hand (the one that wasn't intertwined with Kurt's), pulling him into a sitting room with glass doors where a polished, dark wood piano sat in the corner.

"So what genre do you usually sing?" She asked him, sitting in an armchair near the cushioned piano bench.

"Um… I do a lot of different things I guess; I do a lot of acoustic songs." Blaine answered awkwardly.

"Jeez, Rach. Let him breathe." Kurt chuckled as he entered the room and sat on one side of the loveseat. He noticed the grateful smile Blaine shot him before turning his focus to the piano. As usual, he fingered over the keys for a moment before slowly fading into a smooth melody. Kurt always loved that about Blaine's playing. He could so easily switch from chords to any song he felt like playing and make the transition sound like something from the romantic period. Soon after he started on the song, his voice joined his fingers in rich tones.

_Well I saw you there  
__Just the other day  
__You smiled at me  
__In a secret way  
_

_So I let you in  
__And you captured me  
__I'm your prisoner  
__That's what I wanna be_

_When it feels like it's love  
__All the stars lift you up  
__Well I'll place you high above  
__on top of the world  
__I'm just glad that I found you_

Kurt could tell that Blaine seemed less relaxed than usual. His back was a little more rigid, his shoulders a little more tense. He was also all too aware of the fact that Rachel kept shooting him knowing looks when Blaine was looking down at the keys, but he pointedly ignored her and instead chose to focus on Blaine, who, despite his slight discomfort, was still able to let the music flow through him like it was the most natural feeling he knew.

_Like a thief you came  
__to steal my heart  
__I'll surrender now  
__Cause you broke my guard  
_

_Such a pretty face  
__It warms my soul  
__And your sweet blue eyes  
__they shine like gold_

Blaine met Kurt's gaze briefly, which unfortunately did not go unnoticed by Rachel. Blaine blushed deeply and dropped his gaze, but Kurt watched him still, captivated like always. He didn't care that next to him, Rachel wore a knowing smirk on her face.

_When it feels like it's love  
__All the stars lift you up  
__Well I'll place you high above  
__on top of the world_

_And you know it must be right  
__Cause it's burning up inside  
__I can feel it in your eyes  
__I want you to know  
__I'm just glad that I found you_

Kurt smiled proudly as Blaine closed the song. He looked up at Rachel and saw she had a fascinated grin on her face.

"Um…" Blaine started, trying to break the awkward silence that followed his playing.

"That was beautiful! I'm admittedly _very_ impressed, Blaine!" Rachel said with a short round of applause.

"I told you he was amazing; didn't you believe me?" Kurt asked and sent a wink Blaine's way. He noticed Blaine's face flushing as he looked away.

"Well of course I did! I just wanted to hear it for myself!" Rachel laughed and smacked Kurt's arm lightly. "Seriously though," she turned to Blaine, "why someone like you has yet to have his name up in lights is a mystery to me."

"Um, thank you." Blaine said awkwardly. Kurt saved him from further embarrassing himself by suggesting they crack open a bottle of wine. Once again, (after the subject had moved on from his "impeccable" playing) the conversation flowed easily between the three of them. They shared similar interests and opinions and they were all sincere. It seemed natural for them to be together.

When Kurt and Blaine were getting up to leave a few short hours later, they explained to Rachel that they had one more day in the city before they left Monday morning, and they were going to spend it together relaxing and dodging cameras to the best of their ability. Kurt was optimistic, as they'd had pretty good luck so far.

Rachel said goodbye to Blaine first, hugging him gently and showering him with praise for his singing and wishing him luck with a kiss to his cheek. She then turned to Kurt and pulled him into a tight hug while Blaine walked down the hall to wait and give them a little space. He didn't miss the grin she was sporting before she pressed her face close to his ear.

"Make sure I'm the first you call when you get a ring on it." She whispered in a teasing tone. Kurt was so thankful she couldn't see his face when his eyes widened and he blushed deeply.

"_RACHEL._" Kurt whispered back, unable to come up with a snarky response. He glanced over to Blaine, confirming that he was out of earshot.

"I know it's early, but I'm not wrong." She pulled back a bit and put her hands on his shoulders, looking at him sincerely. "Be good to each other. You _deserve _this; you've got a bigger heart than anyone I know, and I'm not wrong when I say to you that Blaine should be the one you give it to. There's something there, I can _feel _it."

"I…" Kurt really didn't know how to respond to that. It was almost easier with his dad and Carole, before he and Blaine had gotten as close as they had, but now…

"Thanks, Rach." Kurt settled on responding with another tight hug. He and Blaine left shortly after, promising to see her soon.

"So what was that about?" Blaine asked once they reached the street. Kurt knew he was referring to his and Rachel's goodbye.

"Oh… Um… Rachel's not the most subtle person, I'll just put it that way." Kurt laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, which was turning bright red again. Blaine nodded and blushed as well, and Kurt figured that Blaine assumed Rachel had mentioned something about their sex life, and he was fine with leaving Blaine in the dark. Rachel may be a bit overwhelming, but Kurt seldom ignored her advice when she was being as serious and supportive as she was inside. However, this time he would have to ignore it, because she, like everyone except for Kurt's PA, was unaware of the fact that this "relationship" was platonic. Well, sort of. Kurt knew there was officially nothing going on between them; they were just friends. But for him, it was weird to think he could so quickly become so comfortable about everything with someone who was just his friend. He'd had so many friendships throughout his career that were very superficial and it was nice for the change, for the ability to be so open and know he would never be judged.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder if Rachel would have said anything similar if she knew the truth. What would she have said if she knew he and Blaine were just pretending? Would she say they were good at faking it, or would she argue that _no one_ could act that well?

"I'm glad you came, too." Kurt said after they walked in silence for a few blocks.

"Hmm?" Blaine wondered.

"To New York," Kurt said, referring to their previous conversation from the theater. "I'm glad you decided to take a mini-vacation with me. It's been a lot more fun having you here."

"It has?" Blaine raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I feel like I've been dragging you down this whole time. It must be boring to have to bring me to every place you've been a million times."

"Well this is the first time you've ever been to the city, and I'm kind of living it through you." Kurt shrugged as they turned a corner. "Seeing your eyes light up every time I take you somewhere new… It's almost better than when I experienced it the first time myself." Kurt subconsciously curled in on himself slightly with a mixture of embarrassment and anxiousness, "I know it sounds stupid, but—"

"It's not stupid." Blaine stopped in front of Kurt and looked up through his eyelashes, but Kurt's own eyes were downcast. When he finally met Blaine's eyes, they were sparkling. Kurt couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from curling upward ever so slightly. Blaine bit his lip but was unable to stop his own smile from splitting his face as he tugged Kurt's wrist to lead them back to their hotel. "We should get some sleep; we still have one more day left in the city, after all." Blaine chuckled as Kurt tried to stifle a yawn, but he nodded his agreement and allowed Blaine to steer him through the nearly empty sidewalks back to their hotel.

* * *

"This place is adorable." Blaine sipped his coffee and looked around the cozy restaurant. They'd stopped at a small cafe in Upper West Side a few blocks away from the American Museum of Natural History for a break after a long day of roaming the city once more. Kurt took in the familiar, friendly atmosphere as he wrapped his hands around the ceramic mug.

"Why thank you," Kurt said as Blaine looked around as well. "Rachel and I were determined to find the best coffee in the city when we first moved here. This place was one of my favorites. Although that decision may have been influenced by their pastries…" Kurt gave an innocent look and nursed his coffee once more.

"Thank you for showing me the city," Blaine grinned slightly. "It—this was a blast, every bit of it."

"Well, we're not done yet!" Kurt said excitedly, finishing what little remained in his coffee mug. "Are you ready?"

"To go where?" Blaine asked before he gulped down the remainder of the hot liquid in his cup.

"Central Park, remember? I have somewhere I want to take you." Kurt grabbed his hand and fled the coffee shop, headed down the street towards the park. "You have to promise you won't judge me, okay?" Kurt looked away with a light blush on his cheeks.

Blaine's brows furrowed at that. "Why would I judge you for taking me to Central Park?"

"Well… there's a few places specifically that the romantic in me fell in love with the first time I went there… I used to just go for walks around the park on the weekends and stay around all the arches and bridges and just… Well, you'll see, they're really neat." Kurt's hand tightened around Blaine's as he felt his cheeks redden even more. He couldn't help his love for certain areas in the park; the romantic in him loved the fairytale-esque views that were hidden in the center of Manhattan.

"So where are we headed?" Blaine asked as he quickened his step to keep up with Kurt's long stride.

"Central Park." Kurt said with a sly grin.

"Wow, that narrows it down." Blaine's tone was heavy with unnecessary sarcasm.

"I'm not going to tell you, silly! That would ruin the surprise!" Kurt was so giddy, as if he were a child about to share a secret.

"It's not like I've ever been here before, so why not tell me?" Blaine's gaze wandered as they neared the edge of the park.

"Because it's half the fun! We're almost there anyway." Kurt led him on the paths through the trees as they entered the park. Once they hit a small pond, Kurt looked over to Blaine, but continued walking, though he did slow his pace a bit. "It's on the other side, come on."

Though Kurt seemed to regain his composure, he was still bubbling with excitement. He hadn't been as excited to take Blaine anywhere else and well… even if it was all pretend, who said he couldn't close his eyes and just imagine for a moment?

Blaine knocked him out of his ridiculous thoughts when he asked, "Have you brought anyone else here?"

Kurt bit his lip. "Rachel and I came here a few times, and I was here with Luca once, but it was kind of a disaster," Kurt chuckled a bit. "We were coming back from a party and he had too much to drink… A wave of nausea hit him just as we were getting to one of my favorite spots and, well… My attempt at romance didn't really go so well."

Kurt knew he wasn't hiding his disappointment well. When he'd brought Luca here, he'd been hoping for that movie moment, the kind he'd craved all throughout high school. The kind where the entire world faded away and all that mattered were the two people who found what they were looking for. Needless to say, Kurt was very unsatisfied when his romantic moment was crushed by a plastered boyfriend vomiting by the edge of the pond.

Kurt took in the ambiance of the evening air with the sun nearly set around them, changing the colors of the sky from pale blues to oranges. He timed this perfectly, even though it was unplanned. True, he had planned to go to the park in the evening, but that was more so because it would be less crowded, and not because he'd wanted to create the moment.

"It's just over there." Kurt pointed ahead of them from the path and Blaine followed the gesture with his eyes to see a large stone building across the pond that looked like a castle. It was lit up along the stones on the bottom, casting a beautiful reflection on the rippling water.

"Oh, Kurt, this is amazing!" He breathed, taking in the scene before him. Kurt watched him as his eyes raked over the sight, his mouth slightly agape in awe.

"I found this spot a few years ago when I decided to give myself a day off and relax in the park. I was so absorbed in a book I was reading and by the time I looked up again the sun was setting and it just took my breath away. The way the light reflects on the water and shimmers…" he trailed off and stared for a moment. "Belvedere Castle." He said finally. "It's just… It's so pretty and it's strange to me that something like this is buried in here amongst all of the skyscrapers."

"That's… Wow, I can see why you fell in love with it. This looks like something out of a fairytale." Blaine let out a breath and looked over to Kurt, who was already staring at him.

"Come on, let's go up the other side." Kurt led the way as they circled back around the pond and climbed the steep hills and stairs to the top of the castle. It was quiet and empty and very serene. Blaine went up to the edge of the wall and looked down at the pond.

"This is really incredible, Kurt."

"That's why it's one of my favorite places."

"So you've never tried any other romantic endeavors here?" Blaine asked with a little teasing in his voice, turning to face Kurt and lean his back to the wall.

"Unless you call Rachel a romantic endeavor, then no." Kurt supplied, his tone light as their banter continued.

"Well, then I'm flattered!" Blaine half-joked, but Kurt could tell he was being sincere.

"I figured my next attempt should be with someone I trust, right?" Kurt asked as he walked to join Blaine at the edge of the castle, resting his elbows on the wall to look over the lake with the city skyline to his back.

"Yeah, but you also know me well enough to know that I'm a hopeless romantic like yourself," Blaine teased. Kurt looked over to him with one eyebrow raised, and in one swift motion, Blaine grabbed Kurt's waist and twisted him down until he was dipped low over Blaine's leg. Kurt's eyes widened and he drew in a deep breath, but seemed to relax immediately as Blaine's gaze met his, low and close so they could feel each other's breath on their cheeks.

"You're trying to kill me aren't you?" Kurt whispered, a smile ghosting his lips as he draped his arms around Blaine's neck for a little more support.

"Not kill you," Blaine reasoned breathily. "Woo you? Make you swoon? Sure." He winked and smiled lightly.

"Consider me wooed," Kurt's voice was still breathless and his eyes were shining as they bored into Blaine's. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?" Kurt's teasing tone was lost to the soft murmur of his voice.

"You deserve what you've always wanted, even if it's not the way you initially planned it out." Blaine's gaze flickered briefly to Kurt's soft lips and back up once more. He then pulled Kurt up, twirled him under his arm and gracefully tugged him in close with an arm around his waist as if they were dancing. Well, they kind of were, he supposed. "You of all people should never have to wait for someone to sweep you off your feet." Blaine whispered while they swayed gently.

Kurt didn't say anything in response, opting instead to just stare into Blaine's honey colored eyes as they gazed back into his own until neither of them could stand it anymore. Kurt tightened his grip on the back of Blaine's neck and yanked him closer by the few remaining inches for their lips to meet. Several moments of a gentle press of the lips was all it took to steal the air from their lungs. When they finally broke apart, their shallow breaths were the only things that broke the silence.

"I want to show you something." Kurt whispered against Blaine's lips as he slowly opened his eyes. "I… I've never taken anyone here before, and I'm sure a billion people have been there, but I want to show you." Kurt's voice was sure and trusting as Blaine slowly pulled back and loosened his grip on Kurt's waist.

"Are… are you sure?" Blaine said just as breathlessly.

"Yeah," Kurt smile shyly and twined his fingers in between Blaine's. "It's a little bit of a walk, but I think our timing will be perfect," he looked west towards the sun that had almost completely disappeared and smiled. "Come on!"

* * *

Song for the chapter:  
Found You - Ross Copperman

Also, there's a really pretty picture of Belvedere Castle on the end notes for this story on Scarves&Coffee for you guys! (This website doesn't allow links in the story :P ah, well.)

Thanks for reading everyone!  
- Rae (tumblr: raeofultraviolet)


	16. Chapter 16

Hey everyone! Sorry for the later-than-anticipated update! This week was super busy for me, but I'm back! Here's chapter 16!

* * *

The pathways grew darker as the sun sank beyond the horizon, but the lamps throughout the park kept their route illuminated well. Kurt was apprehensive for a minute, then, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Blaine looked over at Kurt in question.

"Was there any… particular reason you did that?" Kurt was nervous and knew he was not hiding it well as he worried the corner of his lower lip between his teeth.

"I meant what I said," Blaine stopped to face Kurt and take his other hand as well. "Even if I'm not…" he glanced around for a moment, "Even if I'm not your first choice," Kurt understood Blaine's wording, and was thankful he was being careful in case there were any other people around, "there's no reason you should have to go searching for something magical. It'll find you when you least expect it." Blaine paused, and looked away when he added, "I just didn't want you to miss out on what you've always been looking for when you came here." Kurt could feel his eyes stinging at Blaine's words, but he refused to let himself fall apart just because Blaine understood him so well.

"How is it that you're able to read me like an open book?" Kurt asked as he gently squeezed Blaine's hands in his own. The two of them smiled warmly and continued on the path they'd been following.

"Not like an open book but… I understand where you're coming from. I know what it's like to long for something like that… or miss it, anyway." Blaine mumbled. He let out a sigh and Kurt squeezed his hand comfortingly. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." He muttered his apology.

"No, don't. You should never be sorry for loving someone." Kurt soothed. "And don't be sorry for bringing it up, either. I know what you've gone through. I'm not going to pretend to understand it completely, but I know that even though you've moved on it's still hard to miss someone, and miss what he meant to you."

"Thank you," Blaine brightened up once more at Kurt's comforting words.

"We're almost there," Kurt tugged his hand a little tighter and pulled him off the path. They walked along a path near the edge of a pond. "This is where it is, but I want to show you from somewhere else." The walked a little further along as they sky faded to a deeper blue.

"Okay, close your eyes." Blaine lifted a questioning eyebrow but did as he was told. Kurt took both of his hands and led him forward and slightly to the left until they started to climb a steep path again.

"You're going to have to trust me, okay? It's a little dangerous up here on the rocks..." Kurt said in a steady voice as he guided Blaine, giving him instructions on where to place his feet so he wouldn't fall and holding his hands the whole time.

Finally, Kurt tugged down on his wrists as he guided him to sit down while Kurt kneeled next to Blaine as he settled comfortably on the rocks.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Blaine questioned in Kurt's direction. Kurt giggled and grabbed his hand once more.

"Yeah, go ahead." Kurt smiled as he watched Blaine slowly open his eyes. His breath hitched as his eyes focused on the view in front of him. They sat on a rock formation high up on a hill with an enticing view of an old stone bridge arching over a small strip of the pond. The trees surrounding it peaked over the bridge and the lake, and just above the trees the glow of the skyline sparkled brightly against the dark purples fading into blues of the evening sky behind it.

"Kurt, this is _beautiful._" He breathed, taking in the scene before him. He could feel Kurt's eyes on him as his own raked over the sight, his mouth slightly agape in awe. He looked around at the landscape before him, something so simple yet so stunning, and understood why Kurt never brought anyone else here. Of course, he certainly wasn't the only one who knew of this spot, but Blaine knew there was a reason Kurt couldn't just bring Rachel here. He wanted it to be a place he could share with someone who would appreciate it as much as he did. He always feared the day he brought someone here who would be unimpressed and would judge him for his childish fantasies.

It was silly that Blaine ever thought they were so completely opposite from one another.

"It's the Gapstow Bridge," Kurt answered Blaine's unasked question as he continued to stare wonder. "It's one of my favorites in the park, and for that specific reason." He sighed happily and turned back to the view ahead of them. A little girl with strawberry blonde pigtails held her father's hand as she leaned over the edge of the pond and threw some breadcrumbs over to the ducks. "I just like the structure of it and all of the trees surrounding it. It makes it seem so natural and peaceful." He curled his knees up towards his chest and hugged them tightly. "It's strange, but this spot is my favorite in the whole city."

"It's not strange at all. This is…" Kurt watched as Blaine turned his head to face him and he couldn't help but appreciate the way his amber eyes danced in the muted lighting from the city. "Thank you for sharing this with me. I… it's breath taking." Blaine took one of Kurt's hands from around his knees and laced his fingers in the spaces between Kurt's, resting their tangled hands gently between them.

"I know we haven't known each other very long, and the way it started out was… Well, unexpected, to say the least, but I care a lot about you, Blaine. You're one of my best friends." Kurt gave a sheepish grin that wasn't lost on Blaine, but it was clear he didn't care that he was acting like a fool. He sighed softly as Blaine stroked his thumb along the back of his hand.

"I care a lot about you, too. I owe you so much." Blaine leaned into Kurt's shoulder and they watched the ripples in the water down below them. "I've never really been good at making friends, but since I met you I _want _to be. I want to be as good a friend to everyone else as you've been to me."

"You are a good friend, Blaine. You're an amazing friend." Kurt argued.

"I just wish I could show you how much everything you've done means to me. And show you how much _you_ mean to me."

"You have." Kurt whispered. He was staring out towards the bridge when Blaine pressed a fleeting kiss to his cheek. They sat in silence for a while, leaning into each other's warmth and taking in the beauty of the entire evening they had spent together. It could have been two seconds or two hours that passed by as Kurt's head found Blaine's shoulder, but neither of them bothered with the time. Blaine felt like he could stay here forever and be content, absorbed in nothing but bliss.

* * *

Blaine looked down at the man who rested his head on his shoulder. The man with soft, perfectly styled hair and stunning blue eyes and a heart full of nothing but love. He was so lucky to have someone like Kurt as his best friend. And that's what he was, his best friend. No one else understood and supported him with everything the way Kurt did. Kurt made him want to be a better person, made him more confident. For the first time in a long while, Blaine thought Casey would be happy for him.

Tears stung his eyes and he blinked them back and shrugged his right shoulder a bit where Kurt's head lay.

"Sleepy?" he murmured into his hair. Kurt picked his head up and rested his chin on Blaine's shoulder instead.

"Not really." He mumbled as he tried to suppress a yawn, but his heavily lidded eyes gave him away.

"Liar," Blaine teased and kissed his nose. "Come on, let's head back. Our flight leaves pretty early tomorrow anyway."

"Wait, one second," Kurt dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Take a picture with me." Blaine heeded when Kurt turned them around to get the bridge and the skyline in the background as best he could and smiled for the picture as Kurt held out the phone in front of them.

"What's that for?" Blaine asked as he helped Kurt to stand.

"Twitter. Nothing like social media to stir up some trouble." Kurt winked and stuffed his phone back in his pocket. "I'll wait until we're back at the hotel in case anyone can recognize where we are… It's not hard to narrow it down; every New Yorker knows this place. It's a little scary how fast word gets out."

"I'll keep that in mind for my hopeful future." They walked back out of the park hand in hand, hailing a cab to get back to their hotel on the other side of Manhattan. When they finally made it back, Kurt pulled out his phone again, tapping on the screen rapidly.

"There," he smirked, "I probably just started a riot but… more gossip." Kurt handed over his phone to show Blaine the tweet that read: "_Nothing like a relaxing evening to end a perfect day. :)" _and had the picture he'd taken attached. The two of them were sitting close with small smiles on their faces, but they looked extremely happy. In truth, Blaine was.

"So should I be expecting anything from this?" Blaine asked.

"Not really, we're just stirring up gossip with the fans." Kurt chuckled and took back his phone while trying to hide a yawn. "It'll come full circle eventually, because if you're what the fans are talking about, then the media will want to get their hold on you as well."

"You've really thought this through, haven't you?" Blaine asked sincerely.

"I've been in the media long enough to know how to get their attention in a not-so-scandalous way. I want to help you, and I will." Kurt gathered up his pajamas from where they were neatly folded in his suitcase. "I'm going to take a quick shower before bed. Did you want to take one first?"

"No, I'll shower in the morning, go ahead." Blaine replied, settling into the bed closer to the window. "But—" Blaine added, "thank you."

"Of course," Kurt walked over towards the bathroom and called out a "Goodnight, Blaine!" before disappearing behind the closed door.

"Night!" Blaine called back, settling against the pillows. It wasn't long before he drifted off to sleep, elated with thoughts of their too-short but still perfect vacation in New York.

* * *

_Been&Done: [PHOTO] Kurt Hummel seen cuddling up close with boyfriend Blaine Anderson in Central Park in New York City. Sources say they were also seen with Rachel Berry after her performance of _Evita _on Saturday evening. Could they be any cuter? __Read more_

* * *

"Ooh, look! Someone found you in New York!" Kayleigh called from the bed as Blaine unpacked his suitcase. She sat cross-legged with Blaine's laptop open, no doubt going through one of her favorite gossip sites.

"Oh, really? I'm not surprised, seeing as we somehow managed not to get mobbed by paparazzi while we were there." Blaine finished folding up the last shirt and tucked it in the drawer before joining her.

"Where's this taken?" She asked, turning the laptop to face him a little more.

"That was in Central Park; we went there last night." Blaine looked at the picture of them that must have been taken from the bridge to get them at that angle. They were sitting huddled together on a large rock formation high up on a hill facing the water, no doubt having an intimate conversation while cozying up next to each other. He had to admit, the picture looked pretty convincing. "Kurt took me to his favorite place there and we were just sitting there for hours, watching the water."

"Oh, B! That's adorable!" Kayleigh made a face with big eyes at him and he blushed.

"Thanks, I think…" Kayleigh turned back to the website and scrolled through the article a bit, but Blaine was hardly paying attention to what it actually said.

"Oh my God, you guys have a couple name!" Kayleigh squealed and giggled. "That's just too much. You are officially official." Blaine rolled his eyes at her and skimmed the article to read what it said. Sure enough, he and Kurt had been given the mash-up of "Klaine," as dubbed by the fans and media. Blaine laughed at the strange name, but quickly texted Kurt.

**New Message From: Blaine**

So, if we have a "couple name" does that mean the media likes us?

**New Message From: Kurt**

Oh, god. Lay it on me.

**New Message From: Blaine**

Klaine.

**New Message From: Kurt**

Oh, okay. I thought you were going to say "Blurt." I would have had to protest that one.

**New Message From: Blaine**

Yeah, I'd be with you in protest. So, good or bad?

**New Message From: Kurt**

Good, I guess? I honestly wouldn't know. I haven't been part of a celebrity couple before, remember? It kind of rolls off the tongue though… it fits. Klaine. Hmm.

**New Message From: Blaine**

I guess it means people like us?

**New Message From: Kurt**

I guess we'll have to find out.

"So is a couple name a good thing or a bad thing?" Blaine asked Kayleigh. She would know, after all.

"Mostly good. The media probably likes you." Kayleigh shrugged and read through the gossip site some more. Blaine nodded and thought for a moment, then texted Kurt again.

**New Message From: Blaine**

Kayleigh said it's probably good. (I trust her judgment; she practically majored in gossip.)

**New Message From: Kurt**

Well I guess we're 'Klaine,' then ;)

**New Message From: Blaine**

Sounds like it! :)

"So how was New York, anyway?" Kayleigh demanded as she closed the laptop forcefully. "You haven't told me anything!"

"It was… it was incredible, Kay. I had such an amazing time." Blaine told Kayleigh all about their trip, shopping, running around the city, meeting and spending time with THE Rachel Berry, Central Park, everything.

"You are so hopeless." She responded when Blaine finally finished his anecdote.

"What do you mean?" Blaine asked, settling on his side next to her.

"Just look at you! You have stars and hearts and all sorts of sickening things in your eyes and your voice was all dreamy the whole time you spoke. You're so in love it's nauseating." She teased and wrinkled her nose in mock disgust while Blaine blushed beet red.

"Kaaayyyyllleeeeiiiiigh." Blaine dragged out, burying his face in his arms. "Please, don't."

"I'm just saying," She nuzzled up next to him and nudged his shoulder. "I want you to be happy, B. And right now, you're unbelievably happy, I can see it." Blaine looked away and Kayleigh got the hint. "I won't bother you about it, but I will if you act like an idiot." Blaine looked up at her in confusion as she continued. "Don't be afraid of this, okay? I don't want you to miss out on what I know could be amazing for you just because you're scared." Blaine studied her for a few moments, then sighed.

"Okay, I'll try. That's the best I can give you." Blaine knew he looked sincere, even if he really _was_ afraid.

"Good. You deserve to be happy," She kissed his cheek and hopped off the bed. "Do you have any hummus?" She hollered over her shoulder as she left the room. Blaine took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Even if it didn't help much, given the actual situation, he knew she was trying, and that thought was comforting enough.

* * *

So there's a picture of the Gapstow Bridge in Central Park in the end notes of this story on S&C because it's important. To me, anyways. And because this site doesn't allow links in the story :P  
From the angle of the picture it looks like it was taken on the rocks across from it, so you guys can get a nice mental picture :)

(Also I just realized that the link didn't copy on the last chapter for the Belvedere Castle, so you can check that one out on S&C if you like as well!)

Thanks for reading! And thanks for all the reviews! You guys are awesome!  
-Rae (tumblr: raeofultraviolet)


	17. Chapter 17

First of all, thank you to everyone for the lovely reviews! It means so much to me and it encourages me to keep writing and I can't thank you enough for all of the love!

I also want to clear up one thing that I had a few questions on: I know Kurt and Blaine are a bit confusing in how they act around one another, but that's kind of their dynamic in this story. Both of them are really focused on Blaine's career and everything else (feelings included) is set aside to deal with later. Blaine is thinking about what a great friend Kurt is and he doesn't want to mess that up and Kurt knows that Blaine is timid and he doesn't want to push anything to scare him off because he likes how close they are. Their dynamic, as far as blatantly acting like a couple, was just to get use to the intimacy at first, but now it's become second nature to them and they don't bother doing anything to change that because they like the way it is and if neither is complaining, why change it?

I hope that clears up any confusion as to why these boys are too dumb to get their heads out of their asses ;) they'll get there eventually; they always do :)

One more note: I'm making a note of the song used in this chapter up in the notes here because this was the first song I ever chose for this story. If I had to pick a theme song for this story, or if I had to delete every other song I've used and choose only one song, this would be it. I think it fits Kurt and Blaine's feelings so well and it captures what is going on in their heads, especially at this point right now. I suggest you listen to it while reading if you like, but you should definitely check it out and listen to the lyrics. The song is called "I Should Go" by Levi Kreis.

Okay, enough out of me! Onward with the story now!

* * *

With Kurt now back at the studio filming for the next season, Blaine barely saw him except for a few hours on the weekends. Kurt promised it would slow down after a few weeks since the first weeks getting back into the show were always hectic, but Blaine missed his company. A lot of his free time was spent in his music room or with Kayleigh, and sometimes he could only take so much of her enthusiasm.

"Oh! Did I tell you that some girls came to Gio's the other day asking about you?" Kayleigh informed him. She was lounging on the old, plaid couch in the music room, browsing the internet on Blaine's laptop once again while Blaine absently played the piano.

"No, you didn't tell me that. What did they want?" Blaine's hands flew over the keys, desperately trying to find the ending to an unfinished melody but unsuccessful in doing so.

"They were wondering about your schedule. I think you've gained some fans," she finished with a wink. Blaine rolled his eyes and joined her on the couch, wondering just what was so fascinating with her gossip sites.

"Well it's a start I guess," he looked over at the screen to find a website with a very bright background and a lot of links scattered along the sides. "What website is this?"

"Ooh, are you falling into the hands of the gossip lovers?" Kayleigh asked scandalously. Blaine raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed. "Actually, if there's a site you should follow, it's this one." She pointed to the top of the page to show the title of the website called "_Been&Done_."

"What is it?" Blaine asked, scanning the links to the articles on the side.

"It's a fan site, but it's a little more… screened than others. It's mostly just a ton of celebrity gossip, but it's got a good balance between media and fanbase stuff, so it's not really influenced or weighted one way or the other. Most of it is pretty accurate, but it's interesting to keep tabs on what's going on here. It's where I find most of the stuff I see about you, seeing as you're not fully in the media's eye yet and there are only so many fan blogs I can go on before I become scarred for life."

"Scarred for life?" Blaine was slightly alarmed.

"It's… intense, we'll put it that way. I've been on a few and well, some people have strong and unrealistic opinions." She shrugged and continued to scroll through the page while Blaine looked over her shoulder. He saw a picture of Kurt and his costars on the side with a caption about their filming for the upcoming season of _Far From the End_, along with other various pictures of celebrity scandals and gossip that Blaine never really cared much about.

"I guess I'll have to keep an eye on this, then." Blaine said finally, glancing at the website one last time before returning to the piano bench. He sat there frustrated once again as he tried to figure out the hollow melody that had been haunting him for so long now.

"What are you playing?" Kayleigh asked as she sat beside him on the bench.

"I've had the chorus to a song written for over two years but I can't write anything else. It's just… nothing's coming to me." Blaine let out a frustrated sigh and plucked out the melody once again, only to stop abruptly when it didn't sound right. "I don't know why, it just seems like nothing fits."

"You'll get it," Kayleigh said encouragingly while rubbing his shoulder.

"Maybe. It's just frustrating; I've written so many songs since I started this one, but every time I go back to it, nothing works." He ran a hand through his hair and slumped his perfect posture.

"What's wrong?"

"What if I'm kidding myself? What if I'm not cut out to do this music thing?" Blaine had, as of late, some serious self-doubt. It was nothing if not confusing for him, since he had come so far with his confidence since he'd met Kurt, but over the past few days he kept wondering how far he would actually make it.

"Oh, B, come on. One song isn't going to make or break you. I know how talented you are. You can do this, and now you've got Kurt to give you a little push in the right direction, too." Blaine's head snapped up at that, but Kayleigh quickly rushed on. "Not that—no, I _know_ that's not why you're dating him. I would never accuse you of that, and I know that's something you would _never_ do." Kayleigh wrapped her arm around his and held tightly, comfortingly. "I just mean that whether you realize it or not, he gives you a lot of confidence. And you seem so comfortable when he's around. It's nice to see you like that again."

"Again?"

"I'm not trying to say you rely on other people; you're one of the most independent people I know, but you just seem more calm and sure of yourself when you know someone you love is there to support you and believe in you no matter what. You were that way whenever Casey was with you and I'm noticing it now with Kurt, too." Kayleigh reasoned. "Maybe it's just because they're both like muses, or something, but you almost never stop smiling when Kurt's in the room."

"Kay…" Blaine pleaded.

"I know, I said I wouldn't push it and I'm not. I'm just saying that when he's around, you look happier. You're more open to other people when he's with you, too. Don't think I haven't noticed." She supplied with a knowing look in her eyes. "I know it's not the music you're not confident in, you've always been so sure when you're playing. You're just nervous because you've never been outgoing, but you are confident when you know you have someone who will be there for you."

Blaine took in her words as he continued to play a different, more familiar tune. He never thought about it before, but maybe he really was more confident around other people when Kurt was there with him.

* * *

Blaine was headed to the coffee shop around the corner during his lunch break when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He didn't bother to check the caller ID before he answered it, figuring it was Kayleigh with the latest gossip, if her recent texts were anything to go by.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Squirt! How's your summer been?" Said a voice that was all too familiar, yet he hadn't heard in a while.

"Coop?" He stopped in his tracks, curious as to why his brother had called him so out of the blue.

"Yeah, who else would it be? How are you?" Cooper laughed cheerfully and Blaine picked up his step again while he responded.

"I'm… I'm good." Blaine replied cautiously.

"I bet you are! So tell me, when were you planning on telling your loving big brother that you're currently dating one of Hollywood's hottest TV stars, hmm?" Cooper accused in a light tone. Blaine knew this would be coming sometime soon.

"Um, well I was… it just sort of—wait, how did you find out?"

"You guys weren't trying to keep it a secret, were you? Because you kind of screwed that up with the press interviews. There's gossip about you all over the place, you know."

"Well… We weren't really trying to keep it a secret, but I just didn't… there's gossip about me everywhere?" Blaine questioned, just registering Cooper's last statement.

"Yeah, I just saw a video of you playing at Gio's from the other night and some of the comments said something about your dating Kurt and being so _cuuuute_ and in _looooove_." He exaggerated the words enough to tease Blaine and push his buttons, but Blaine was thankful Cooper couldn't see him blush.

"We only started dating a few months ago, Coop."

"So what? You still could have told me!"

"I—yeah, I should have. I'm sorry, I've just been busy with work and Giovanni's and—"

"And Kurt?" Blaine could almost hear his brother smirking.

"Well he's really busy filming and stuff right now, so—"

"And Kurt?" Cooper persisted, knowing Blaine would eventually give in.

"I—yeah. And Kurt." He said rolling his eyes and deciding it was best not to try to argue.

"Good. I'm happy for you, Squirt."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" Blaine sighed.

"Doesn't matter how many times you tell me not to, I'm still gonna do it." Cooper laughed, and then added. "You sounded really good in that video, by the way. I watched it a few times. I'm so proud of you."

"I… Thanks, Coop. That really means a lot." Blaine had to force himself to breathe and not start getting choked up. He didn't get a lot of praise from his brother on a regular basis. It only came once in a while, but when it did, his heart swelled in his chest.

"Don't go and get a big head, now!" They both laughed over the line but Cooper had to cut the conversation short due to an appointment. "I'll talk to you soon, okay? Keep me updated on your Hollywood romance, you got it?"

"I will, Coop. Talk to you later." Blaine hung up and stared at his phone for a minute. He loved his brother, even if they weren't particularly close, and he felt guilty for not telling him, but at least he was understanding about it.

Blaine pocketed his phone but it started buzzing again seconds later, this time signaling a text message.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**My piano's getting dusty.

**New Message From: Blaine  
**You should play something for me, then!

**New Message From: Kurt  
**I was hinting that *you* should come play for *me*

**New Message From: Blaine  
**I always play for you. You should play for me until we're even.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**I doubt I know that many songs. Might as well build up your quota until I learn enough, right?

**New Message From: Blaine  
**Nice try.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**Please? (You can't see, but I'm making a puppy face)

**New Message From: Blaine  
**I thought we had a rule about no puppy faces?

**New Message From: Kurt  
**I said *you* couldn't make a puppy face. You never made that rule.

**New Message From: Blaine  
**Well, I'm making it a rule now.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**You've broken the rule before, and so can I. My puppy eyes are big and round and pleading.

**New Message From: Blaine  
**Not fair.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**I'll see you at 7?

**New Message From: Blaine  
**NOT. FAIR.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**:)

* * *

"I hate you." Blaine said with a pout when Kurt answered the door later that evening demonstrating the perfect puppy look. That was immediately replaced with a laugh as he let Blaine in.

"No you don't!" Kurt chuckled as Blaine toed off his shoes. "I made a caprese salad, is that okay?"

"Sounds delicious!" Blaine enthused as he followed Kurt into the kitchen. They spent their evening catching up, Kurt telling him about the crazy antics that happened on set with his costars (which involved a cake fight that the wardrobe department was none too pleased about) while Blaine filled him in on the latest happenings in his life, including his brother's phone call from earlier.

"It must have been nice to hear from him," Kurt commented. "How'd he take the whole relationship thing?"

"Really well, actually." Blaine thought back to the conversation. "He was a little upset that I wasn't the one to tell him, but he's… he said he's happy for me. And he said he saw a video of me from Gio's and thought I sounded really good." Blaine wouldn't admit it, but he took a lot of pride in that compliment from his brother.

"Well I'm sure you were fantastic as always," Kurt smiled and got up to grab his laptop from the kitchen counter and brought it back to the couch where they were sitting. "Did he say where he found the video?"

"YouTube, probably, but I'm not sure," Blaine watched the screen as Kurt typed his name in the search bar. Several videos of his recent performances popped up and they scrolled through, looking through the comments on a few of them. Most of them were positive comments about his performances, and it gave Blaine little flutters of delight as he read them.

"I wish I could come to Giovanni's as often as I did in the summer," Kurt sighed. "I miss watching you play." He nudged Blaine's shoulder and shot him a hopeful look.

"Well, look! Now you have the convenience of YouTube to watch me!" Blaine teased, but Kurt was already pushing him off the couch and steering him towards the piano bench, plopping down right next to him.

"Pretty please?" Kurt whispered with a shy smile looking up at Blaine through his eyelashes. Blaine's breath caught for a moment before his hands found the keys and he began to play a familiar song that had no lyrics attached. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Kurt watching him closely, but he didn't mind. He didn't mind even as Kurt's weight leaned into him and his chin rested on his shoulder as he played.

"I don't think I've ever heard that song…" Kurt whispered as the tune faded out.

"It's just a piano song, there aren't any lyrics." Blaine breathed back, afraid to break the silence more than necessary. "It's called _Maybe_ by Yiruma. I like playing his piano songs a lot. He's… they were always Casey's favorites."

"It's beautiful." Kurt looked up at him again and asked, "Will you play another?"

"That's your real reason for getting into this relationship, isn't it? Free piano concerts in the comfort of your own home?" He teased lightly.

"You caught me. Now play?"

"So bossy. But no, I'll save the piano songs for when I can use them to my advantage. Is something else okay?" He asked as he began playing without thinking about it first. The song just came to mind, really.

"Of course," Kurt got comfortable by his side once more as he listened to the melody. The tune was unfamiliar to him, but as Blaine sang the lyrics he was hooked on every word.

_Here we are  
__Isn't it familiar  
__Haven't had someone to talk to  
__In such a long time  
__And it's strange  
__All we have in common  
__And your company was just the thing I needed tonight  
__Somehow I feel I should apologize  
__Cause I'm just a little shaken  
__By what's going on inside_

Blaine knew Kurt was paying close attention as usual, but something felt… different. More comfortable than usual, perhaps. His mind floated back to the conversation he had with Kayleigh as he continued to play.

_I should go  
__Before my will gets any weaker  
__And my eyes begin to linger  
__Longer than they should  
__I should go  
__Before I lose my sense of reason  
__And this hour holds more meaning  
__Than it ever could  
__I should go  
__I should go  
__Baby, I should go_

Kayleigh was right, Blaine realized. He missed this, the comfort he felt with another person around, knowing he supports him, no matter what. Even if their relationship was a lie, their friendship wasn't. And he could let himself have that. He wouldn't push anything else. Kurt wanted to help him with his career, so anything but friendship could wait.

_It's so hard  
__Keeping my composure  
__And pretend I don't see how  
__Your body curves beneath your clothes  
__And your laugh  
__Is pure and unaffected  
__It frightens me to know so well the place I shouldn't go  
__I know I gotta take the noble path  
__Cause I don't want you to question  
__The intentions that I have_

He continued on with the song, playing softly and singing along in a tone that could barely hide any emotions he had. He couldn't look at Kurt while he was playing. Not with this song. He knew that Kurt would be watching him, watching his face, no matter how much he tried to cover it up by glancing at his fingers on the keys every now and then. Blaine wasn't sure what prompted him to sing this particular song, but it forced its way into the front of his mind and he couldn't get it out. Perhaps because it hit a little too close to home when he was around Kurt.

_Oh, but now I don't mean to leave you with a trivial excuse  
__And when you call tomorrow, I'll know what to do_

_I should go  
__Before my will gets any weaker  
__And my eyes begin to linger  
__Longer than they should  
__I should go  
__Before I lose my sense of reason  
__And this hour holds more meaning  
__Than it ever could  
__I should go  
__I should go  
__Baby, I should go_

It was strange, the revelations he could come to when he was sitting on Kurt's piano bench. But whenever he got lost in music, he got lost in his mind as well.

"Too much?" He asked when he met Kurt's eyes tentatively.

"Never. It was actually kind of perfect." Kurt looked up at him through his eyelashes for a moment before adding, "I love listening, no matter what you're playing," Kurt pressed a fleeting kiss to his cheek and sat up, placing his hands on the piano.

"Are you going to play for me?" Blaine asked hopefully.

"I've been working really hard on my nursery rhymes," Kurt smirked as he plucked out the unmistakable melody of _Mary Had a Little Lamb._

"One day you will play a proper song for me. I know it." Blaine sighed, reaching over to cover Kurt's right hand with his own. He lined up their fingers and pressed down on the keys, playing a simple tune over Kurt's hand with his own practiced fingers. Kurt laughed every time he moved his hand in the wrong direction, but still watched in fascination as Blaine helped him play.

"Is this your way of getting me to play for you?" Kurt asked with a small chuckle.

"No, You're still going to play for me. This is my way of making you comfortable with playing for me. Or at least, I'm hoping that my method is working." Blaine removed his hand from Kurt's and looked over at him in question.

"Hmm, it may be working. I still never agreed to playing for you." Kurt reminded him.

"But you will, I'll guilt you into it if necessary." Blaine shrugged with a smile. Kurt rolled his eyes and glanced at his watch with a sigh.

"I really hate to kick you out, but I have an unreasonably early call time tomorrow." Kurt scrunched his nose in distaste and Blaine laughed, kissing Kurt's nose to smooth out the creases.

"It's okay; you should get some sleep." Blaine smiled as he stood up and headed towards the door, Kurt following closely behind. "I'll see you sometime this weekend?"

"Probably. I'll let you know what my schedule is." Kurt leaned against the frame of the door and crossed his arms. "See you soon?" He asked as Blaine fished his keys out of his pocket.

"Yeah, I'll see you soon," Blaine smiled and kissed Kurt's cheek. "Good night, Kurt."

"Good night, Blaine."

* * *

Songs:  
Maybe - Yiruma (This is just a piano song, but it's really pretty)  
I Should Go - Levi Kreis (My personal theme song for If I Could Use Your Love)

Thanks for reading, you lovely humans!  
-Rae (tumblr: raeofultraviolet)


	18. Chapter 18

Blaine left work the following week trying to clear his head and process what just happened. Maybe he shouldn't think about that just yet. He had to head over to Giovanni's tonight.

Still, his mind was buzzing. He didn't know if it was good or bad, but _something_ was happening. He needed to take a breath and wait until Saturday.

That was two days from now.

He sighed, trying to keep calm. It had to be a good thing, right?

* * *

Kayleigh noticed something was up right away. And, being Kayleigh, she wouldn't drop it.

"Come on, Blaine! Just tell me what's going on!" She huffed as Blaine fiddled with his guitar case after the show.

"Nothing! Really, there's nothing going on." Blaine threw her a look, willing her to let it go, but she pressed on.

"Why can't you tell me? I'm your best friend! I know something's up; I just can't tell what it might be. You seem… nervous." She concluded.

"…I am nervous." Blaine admitted quietly, not facing her.

"What is there to be nervous about? Is it something with Kurt?" Kayleigh asked gently, tentatively. Blaine chuckled a bit and turned to face her.

"No, no it's not about Kurt. Just… give me a few days, okay? Once I… once I can figure this out I'll tell you, just not yet." Blaine looked at her earnestly and Kayleigh slumped.

"Fine." She sighed.

"I promise I'll tell you, I just… I don't know how to react to this yet. I don't want to jinx anything. I'm probably building this up for no reason. It really could be nothing. It's probably nothing." Blaine's thoughts raced again, but Kayleigh pulled him out of it.

"Well, if you're done arguing with yourself," she gave him a pointed look and he let out a guilty laugh. "Kurt called you while you were playing. I told him you'd call him back." She dangled Blaine's phone in her hand and smirked.

"God, what did you tell him?" Blaine groaned, snatching his phone from her.

"Nothing! I really didn't say anything, I just told him you were playing and you'd call him back when you were done." She gave him a very fake innocent smile and Blaine rolled his eyes.

"What else?"

"Nothing."

"Kayleigh." Blaine said impatiently. He knew her all too well.

"I may or may not have told him that your ass looks fantastic in the jeans you're wearing tonight." She shrugged, running a hand through her hair.

"Kayleigh!" Blaine blushed furiously.

"What? I'm not going to lie to your boyfriend! Your ass really does look fantastic." She leaned over in her seat a bit in an attempt to get a closer look. Blaine sat down immediately.

"That doesn't mean you're allowed to tell him that!" Blaine ran a hand over his still very red face.

"I was just expediting the foreplay process." She shrugged.

"KAYLEIGH."

"So I shouldn't tell you what he said in response?" She teased.

"Oh, God. He broke up with me didn't he? He's ending our relationship because my best friend has absolutely no boundaries."

Kayleigh laughed and replied, "Stop being so dramatic. He actually asked me what jeans you were wearing. Said if your ass looked as great as I claimed—which it does—he may have to buy you a few more pairs for your birthday."

"He did not." Blaine blushed impossibly harder.

"Ask him yourself." She stood up to leave, smiling. "See ya later, B!"

"Thanks for that, Kay." He called to her sarcastically. He grabbed his guitar case and headed out the door as he dialed Kurt's number, holding his breath as he waited.

"Well hello there, Mr. Perfect-Ass." Blaine could hear Kurt's laughter in his voice.

"Kurt, I am _so _sorry for what Kayleigh said. She doesn't really have any boundaries. I told her not to—"

"Relax, Blaine! Kayleigh's hilarious. How'd your show go?" Blaine exhaled heavily and filled Kurt in on how everything went for the night.

He paused for a moment, then, "I need to tell you something."

"Good something, or bad something?"

"I don't know yet. I hope it's good, but it's probably not bad. I don't really know what to think yet." Blaine rambled nervously.

"Okay, so what's it about?" Kurt asked patiently.

"My boss stopped me as I was leaving work today and asked if he could talk to me briefly. He said he wanted to try a sort of 'experiment,'" Blaine used air quotes even though Kurt couldn't see them, "And he asked me to have lunch with him on Saturday."

"Well I can't see how that would be a bad thing at all! Did he say what he meant by 'experiment'?"

"No, just that he'd talk to me in more detail on Saturday. I really have no idea what it means." Blaine sighed and sat in the driver's seat of his car, drumming his fingers on the bottom of the steering wheel.

"Well don't drive yourself crazy thinking about it. Just relax; if he wants to have lunch with you to talk about it it's not going to be a bad thing. Wait and see how Saturday goes and then come to my house right after so you can tell me." Blaine smiled at the thought.

"You're not working this weekend?"

"I'm on schedule for Sunday afternoon, but I'm good for Saturday. I'll see you then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then."

* * *

It was difficult to keep himself from bouncing on his toes as he left the restaurant Saturday afternoon. The plans were still tentative and a little vague, but he still couldn't wait to tell Kurt.

Kurt, who had sent him a text this morning that said, _Have a good time at lunch :)_

Kurt, who had always supported him in every way since the day they met.

Kurt, who—

Blaine stopped himself. Because continuing his train of thought wouldn't be fair. They trusted each other, they made a promise, and Blaine was not going to do anything that might jeopardize their friendship.

So instead, he drove to Kurt's house as promised, this time not containing the bounce in his walk as he made his way to the front door.

"So what happened?!" Kurt threw the door open just before Blaine began to knock.

"Someone's excited!" Blaine laughed as Kurt tugged him inside.

"Well you seem like you're in a good mood, so tell me what happened with your boss!" Kurt pulled Blaine into the living room and unceremoniously plopped the both of them down on the couch. "All right, spill."

Blaine chuckled at Kurt's eagerness. He ignored the way his heart swelled at the thought of Kurt caring so much about this. And he didn't even know what it was yet.

"So, long story short, my boss, Mark Bradley, saw a few of the videos from Giovanni's that have started circling the internet."

"And?"

"His 'experiment' that he mentioned he wants to try is to send me out to do a few shows at small venues to start spreading my music out there. He's working with a friend at an agency to start scheduling a few shows around here so that I can start soon."

"Blaine! That's amazing!" Kurt's eyes were wide and excited.

"I know, and that's not it yet. He wants to work with me in the studio so I can start recording an EP. He wants to put it on iTunes." Blaine couldn't help the laughter in his voice. It was too good to believe.

"That's incredible!" Kurt threw himself at Blaine in a bone-crushing hug. "I'm so proud of you, Blaine!"

"Thanks. I couldn't have done this without you. Really." Blaine muttered into Kurt's ear.

"Yes you could have." Kurt pulled away but kept his hands on Blaine's shoulders and looked him in the eye. "You're amazing, Blaine, I'm just here to give you a little push."

"Well that 'little push' has been a big help. Thank you." He said again.

"You're welcome. So what else did he say? Did he say anything about your songs or anything?"

"He said he really liked my style, and he wants to work with me personally because I know the company and I'm a part of it, so I know how everything runs. He said he's lucky I work there, or someone else would have gotten me before they had the chance." Blaine laughed at the memory. He never really talked to his boss much, a few of the managers and other co-workers, yes, but nothing on a sort of personal level. He and Mark (his boss had insisted on Blaine calling him by his first name during lunch) talked a lot about his music at lunch; Blaine was surprised when he was asked why he never brought up his own music when at work. Blaine had simply replied that he was working on trying to put himself out there more.

"Blaine! That's wonderful! Oh, who cares if it's not even three yet, this calls for some celebratory wine!" Kurt jumped up and fled to the kitchen, a wide grin splitting his face as he went. Blaine couldn't stop his own lips from breaking into a smile as well as he followed Kurt into the kitchen.

"So when your EP comes out you have to make sure I get the first signed copy." Kurt looked pointedly at Blaine as he handed him a half-full wine glass.

"I haven't even started recording yet," Blaine laughed and took the offered drink from Kurt.

"Still, I'm calling dibs now. Promise?" He held up his wine glass in waiting; Blaine clinked it gently with his own.

"Promise." Blaine mocked crossing his heart with a wide smirk as he took a sip. Kurt simply chuckled and shook his head.

"I can't believe this, Blaine! I'm so excited for you! I knew you could do it! God, Blaine, how are you not bouncing around right now?"

"I did most of my bouncing on the way over here. I'm trying to contain myself from looking like a four-year-old." Blaine smiled knowingly at Kurt, earning a tongue stuck out in his direction.

"Well, fine, you be 'sophisticated' and 'mature' then. I'm going to bounce around the house until I pass out from excitement." Kurt's bubbled laughter filled the house as he made his way back to the living room, wine glass in hand. He sighed happily and sank down on the couch, patting the space next to him when Blaine entered the room.

"Giving up on the bouncing, then?" Blaine placed his wine glass on a coaster and gently sat down next to Kurt. Once again, Kurt stuck his tongue out at him, earning yet another laugh. "Good to know that you're still acting like a toddler, even without the inability to sit still." Kurt rolled his eyes and leaned back into the couch cushions, glancing up at Blaine through his eyelashes.

"I'm so proud of you, Blaine. I'm so happy that you have this opportunity to show the world just how wonderful you really are." He said softly, brushing a thumb along the back of Blaine's hand. Blaine could feel the blush creeping up his neck and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You helped me get to where I am, so thank you. You—" Blaine took a breath and looked right at Kurt, "you're my best friend." Kurt bit his lip to stop his smile.

"Don't tell Rachel," he whispered conspiratorially, "but you're mine, too." Blaine laughed and sipped his wine.

"Well I'm honored," Blaine held Kurt's gaze for a moment before Kurt sat up and took Blaine's hands in both of his.

"Good. And since you're my best friend, I have a question for you." Kurt looked at Blaine expectantly but squeezed his hands in reassurance.

"Okay…" Blaine replied and waited.

"You can feel free to say no, if you're uncomfortable with it or you just plain don't want to, it's okay, you don't have to feel obligated to do anything just because we're fake dating and—"

"Kurt."

"Right, sorry." He took a breath and looked up at Blaine, feeling the encouragement of light squeezes of his fingers. "So," Kurt cleared his throat, "The, um, the Emmys are coming up in a few weeks, and I'd really like it if… Would you—will you accompany me? To the Emmys?" He looked at Blaine with hopeful eyes and a shy smile on his face.

"Kurt, I'd _love _to." Blaine leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Did you really think I'd say no?"

"Well, I just didn't know if you'd be uncomfortable with it, or too nervous, or… I'm glad you're coming."

"Me too. You're going to have to tell me what to wear though." Blaine admitted. He didn't want Kurt to look bad for having a terribly dressed boyfriend.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it!" Kurt smiled and Blaine could tell he was running ideas through his head about what Blaine could wear.

"You didn't get nominated, did you? Oh, god, I'm a terrible fake boyfriend. I don't even know if you were nominated for an Emmy." He ran a hand down his face in shame.

"I didn't get nominated; don't worry, I would have told you." Kurt laughed. "Russ did though, for best lead in a comedy series. He'll be thrilled to know you're coming!"

"Good, I like Russ. And it'll be nice to know someone else there." Blaine let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. Kurt grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm down.

"It'll be fun. And I won't leave you to fend for yourself just yet, so don't worry about that." Kurt assured.

"I just don't want to make you look bad." Blaine mumbled, not meeting Kurt's eyes.

"Please, Blaine. You won't do anything to make me look bad. When in doubt, just flash that charming smile of yours and you'll have the paparazzi swooning." Kurt got up and took their wine glasses to the kitchen. "Trust me, Blaine. You have absolutely nothing to worry about." Blaine sighed and hoped he could take Kurt's word for it.

* * *

Just a little disclaimer: I am not at ALL familiar with the music business and how it works. So please excuse any inaccuracies that may be in this fic. It is fiction, after all ;)

Also, you should all go spread some love Shannon's way(tumblr: nerfguns-and-magiccookies), because she's a super duper beta and without her encouragement and editing help, this fix wouldn't even be posted!

Thanks for reading!  
-Rae (tumblr: raeofultraviolet)


	19. Chapter 19

Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the late update! I've been preparing for a huge presentation I have coming up and this week slipped away from me! I should be back on schedule now though, so hopefully I'll post either on Thursday or Friday next week!

Enjoy!

* * *

The Emmys were nothing like Blaine imagined they'd be. He'd watched the awards show a few times with Kayleigh, rolling his eyes or politely nodding in agreement every time she gushed over all of the dresses or offered up her opinions and critiques on hairstyles. However, once he and Kurt actually got there, everything seemed like a blur until they got to their seats.

Kayleigh, of course, squealed in excitement when she found out that Blaine was to be Kurt's date, and immediately bombarded him with millions of questions from his wardrobe to his plans afterwards (he deliberately ignored the wink she sent his way when inquiring the latter).

Kurt led Blaine out onto the red carpet, having told him beforehand that he didn't have to stand through all the pictures if he felt uncomfortable, to which Blaine simply replied he'd rather just stay with him than worry about where to go. He followed Kurt closely, feeling a bit like a lost puppy, but doing his best to keep a smile on his face all the same.

"How are you holding up?" Kurt asked him with a nervous smile as they walked towards the venue.

"Well it's certainly brighter than I expected…" Blaine let out a short laugh. "But I'm doing all right, I think. How many more interviews do you have to do before we get inside?" He asked curiously.

"Probably just a few more. They all ask the same things, so it's really just a regurgitation of the first two interviews." Kurt smiled and waved politely as more people behind the metal barriers took pictures of him. "Mostly just the standard 'What are you wearing?' and 'Are you excited about Russ being nominated?' questions. Although I have gotten a few questions about you." Kurt smirked as he walked along. Blaine hadn't heard any of the interviews, he mostly stood off to the side until Kurt was done and joined him once more.

"Oh? What about me?" Blaine smiled at someone shouting Kurt's name and continued along as Kurt laughed.

"Mostly just wondering who you are and if any of the gossip is true. I told them you're my amazingly talented boyfriend who has a secret collection of colorful bowties in the back of his closet."

"Hey!" Blaine pouted.

"No! No, that's not fair! No pouting at me." Kurt tried his best to look sternly at Blaine but ended up laughing instead. "I'm kidding around; I wouldn't tell them that. I have to save it in case I ever need to blackmail you." Kurt winked and headed over to yet another interviewer, leaving Blaine laughing to himself on the side. He waited politely for the interview to finish, looking around at all of the crowds and trying his best not to squint against the flashing lights. He barely noticed when Kurt turned to smile at him during the interview, but he smiled back gently and hoped it was a good response. He didn't really know what they were talking about, but he could make a pretty good guess.

"So, how'd it go?" Blaine offered his arm when Kurt came back to join him, automatically looping his arm through Blaine's.

"It went well, she asked me about Russ, obviously, but she was rather interested in you." Kurt squeezed his elbow lightly and steered him towards the entrance. "That's my last one for now, so we can go ahead in."

"What did she want to know about me?" Blaine asked curiously, even though he knew the answer was most likely the interviewer inquiring about his relationship with Kurt.

"She actually had some semi-decent questions. She heard the rumors about how we met from the press party interviews and wanted to know if they were true. She thought it was cute that I'm dating an 'independent musician,' I think she called it," Kurt shrugged.

"Is that Hollywood fancy-talk for a nobody?" Blaine was afraid he already knew the answer.

"Not a nobody, on your way to a somebody. And you're almost there!" Blaine smiled gratefully at his correction, and was about to say something in reply when he spotted Russ across the room.

"There's Russ," Blaine gestured to where he stood. "Should we go say hello, or should we wait?" He asked.

"We'll go say hi; he'll be excited to know you're here." Kurt led the way towards the corner of the room where Russ was standing, and greeted him with a wave when Russ spotted them.

"Hey Kurt!" Russ said as he opened his arms for a hug, which Kurt accepted with a smile. "Blaine! It's great to see you; I'm glad you're here!" Blaine was a little tentative when Russ offered him a hug as well, but he accepted it gladly and relaxed a bit.

"It's great to see you, too! Congrats on your nomination!"

"Thank you. So how'd you survive out there? Doing all right?" Russ asked with his attention focused on Blaine. That was the thing Blaine loved about Russ. He was very down to earth and always seemed interested in what someone was saying.

"Well, I'm alive." Blaine chuckled. "It wasn't too bad, just very bright."

"Well from what I hear about the way you play, you'll get used to it." Russ winked and Blaine felt his cheeks flush. Russ excused himself and greeted someone who walked in while Kurt held a hand to the small of Blaine's back.

"You okay?" Kurt asked quietly to be reassured.

"I'm good. A little overwhelmed, but good." They shared a smile as Kurt led them to their seats.

"Good. So has Kayleigh been texting you nonstop yet?"

"Probably, I haven't checked. I'll worry about her later when she inevitably breaks into my apartment to get the 'scoop'. " Blaine playfully rolled his eyes. "How am I doing so far?"

"You're absolutely charming as usual," Kurt offered as they sat down, his lips creeping into a shy smile that Blaine rarely sees. "I told you, you have nothing to worry about."

* * *

"So tell me, Mr. Anderson, how was your first awards show experience?" Kurt asked as he kicked off his shoes and dropped them by the door to his bedroom. They had gone to an after party for a little while, but Kurt admitted he was getting tired and they decided to call it a night. Kurt's driver brought them back to Kurt's house, since Blaine's car was still there.

"A little scary, but actually a lot of fun." Blaine dropped down on the couch next to Kurt and smiled. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Oh, it was my pleasure," Kurt mocked, "I got to show off my super hot fake boyfriend and show everyone else up because they didn't even come close to having as delicious arm candy as I did." Blaine rolled his eyes to cover up his blush and hit Kurt with a throw pillow from behind him. Kurt laughed and curled his legs up onto the couch for defense, holding his arms up in surrender. "In all seriousness, though, thank you for coming."

"I had a really good time. And… it means a lot that you're doing everything you can for me." Blaine said sincerely, taking Kurt's hand.

"I told you, it's my pleasure," Kurt said around a yawn, trying and failing to fight it. "I like helping you out."

"Well I appreciate it. More than you know." Blaine brushed their fingers together lightly and sighed happily. "I should let you sleep; you look like you're ready to pass out."

"I hate to be rude, but I am." Kurt sighed and made to stand up, using the momentum from the first try to pull himself fully upright on the second. "You should get some sleep, too, you have work tomorrow."

"I'm going in late anyway, but I should get going, regardless." Kurt led him to the door and Blaine toed on his shoes. "Did you have fun?" Kurt sounded a little wary, but it might have just been because he was tired.

"I did, I had a blast." Blaine smiled his gratitude, then asked, "Did you?"

"More than you know." Kurt replied. "Let me know when you have those dates set for your mini-tour, I want to see if I can make it to some of them."

"You don't have to do that." Blaine said sheepishly.

"Well, I want to, so tough." He gave Blaine a sleepy smile. "I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah, just let me know when you're lighter on filming this week."

"I will," Kurt opened the door for him and Blaine slipped out onto the front porch, ready to wave and throw a 'goodnight' over his shoulder, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, Kurt caught the cuff of his jacket sleeve and tugged him close to his body, kissing him full on the mouth.

"Good night, Blaine." Kurt whispered against his lips. Blaine looked up into his eyes and saw something he couldn't quite recognize. There was the sparkle in the corner that was always there, but this time, though he looked a little sleepy and his lids were drooping ever so slightly, his eyes seemed full of wonder.

"Good night Kurt," Blaine kissed his nose and smiled before stepping off the porch and heading towards his car. Kurt was leaning on the railing, smiling wistfully as he drove off.

* * *

Kayleigh was, predictably, waiting on the couch at Blaine's apartment when he got back. Unfortunately for her, Blaine was exhausted and told her she'd have to wait until morning to get any details out of him because he could barely hold himself upright.

He woke up later than he'd planned, but still had plenty of time to get ready for work. As he stumbled out of his room to make some coffee, he was surprised to find Kayleigh reading a magazine on the couch.

"You're still here?" he mumbled.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." Kayleigh flashed him a bright smile and led the way into the kitchen, pouring Blaine some coffee from her freshly made pot. "You still have to give me details! What was it like? Did you meet more people? Was Kurt excited that Russ won? What did you guys do afterwards? Did you—"

"Please, _please _can this wait until _after_ I have some caffeine in me?" Blaine said, eyes closed and nursing his coffee.

"Fine, fine." Kayleigh poured herself a cup as well, waiting patiently as she leaned against the counter.

"How did you get in here last night, anyway?" Blaine asked, just now realizing that she had somehow let herself in the night before.

"You gave me a key last week, remember? I had to grab my portfolio from your music room but you didn't have time to come home." Kayleigh reminded him.

"Oh, yeah I remember now… I thought I left it open by accident." Blaine took a generous sip of his coffee and braced himself before asking, "All right, so what do you want to know?"

Kayleigh squealed and spewed out a hundred questions at once, most of which Blaine answered, filling in all the little details while Kayleigh sat cross-legged on the countertop with excitement in her eyes.

"That's _insane_, B. I'm so jealous of you right now."

"If I could have taken you along I would. Even though you would probably be just on the obnoxious side of embarrassing." Blaine gave her a knowing look and Kayleigh punched his shoulder playfully. They sat quietly for a few moments in which Blaine presumed she was taking it all in. After a short while, she piped up with a tentative question.

"Hey, Blaine, can I ask you a _huge_ favor?"

"Sure, Kay, what's up?" Blaine looked at her quizzically while she twiddled her thumbs. Usually she just came right out with it.

"Well I… it's just that—I don't really know how to ask you this because I know you're shy and—"

"Just spit it out, Kay." Blaine interrupted, though he was a little nervous about what she was going to ask.

"Igotajobinterviewforafashionmagazine."

"You—wait, you what?! For your photography, I presume?" Blaine could feel his smile growing. Kayleigh had always wanted to work as a photographer for some type of magazine. She had a real knack for it, and Blaine had known that since he met her.

"I applied for a job at _Cannon_ magazine because they have an office here and they were looking for a new assistant photographer and I sent in my portfolio and they said they really liked it… They called yesterday to schedule an interview!" Kayleigh had tears in her eyes and she still looked shocked and in disbelief.

"Kayleigh!" Blaine stood up and launched himself at her. _Cannon _had been one of Kayleigh's favorite fashion magazines since long before Blaine knew her. "Congratulations, that's amazing!"

"Thanks. So, um, they said they wanted me to bring my portfolio but they wanted a new shoot in it to focus more on a single person so they could see how I work with it, since that's probably most of what I'll be doing, and I was wondering if… will you be my model, please?" Kayleigh looked nervous as she asked.

"You want _me_ to be your model?" Blaine asked in disbelief.

"Please? Come on, B! You're super hot! And I don't really know who else to ask…" Blaine considered for a moment. He knew he felt a little awkward about it, but it was Kayleigh, he could trust her one hundred percent. He would do anything to help her out, especially with something as important as this.

"I… what do I have to do?" He asked earnestly.

"Really?! Blaine, thank you! You just have to stand and look pretty; you'll be great! You're a life saver, thank you!" Kayleigh hugged him tightly and squeaked.

"When do you want to do the shoot?"

"This weekend? Are you free? My interview is in two weeks so that should give me plenty of time to get everything done well… Is Kurt coming to Gio's this week? I may need to ask his opinion on some outfits for you…" Kayleigh studied him intently and he shifted under her gaze.

"You're going to make my boyfriend dress me?" Blaine chuckled.

"No, I'm going to dress you. I just need to get his professional opinion."

"You do know that Kurt is an actor, not a fashion designer," Blaine pointed out.

"He may as well be. Have you seen his everyday outfits?" Kayleigh argued, "The man seriously knows how to dress."

"True." Blaine agreed. "All right, well I'll call him and ask if he can stop by this week at Gio's. He may have a heavy schedule this week but he might be able to come this weekend if he's free… I'll ask and let you know."

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I owe you big time!" Kayleigh jumped off the counter and flung herself at Blaine, planting a big kiss on his cheek.

"You don't owe me anything, Kay. I'm more than happy to help." Blaine said as he hugged her back.

"You're the best!" She said as she finally let go. "Now go get ready for work while I invade your closet."

"I will; I'm going to text Kurt first. I have to tell him to check his fridge anyways…" Blaine mumbled and trailed off, his cheeks heating under his blush.

"You have to tell him what?" Kayleigh questioned, too curious for her own good.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." Blaine could feel his cheeks getting redder as he tried to leave the room, but Kayleigh followed persistently.

"What did you do?"

"I… I got him something. As a thank you for last night, nothing big." Blaine tried to shrug it off.

"You guys exchange gifts as a thank you for that?" She raised an eyebrow and Blaine's face turned an impossibly darker crimson.

"KAYLEIGH! I meant for taking me to the Emmys!"

"Sure, sure." She smirked and Blaine groaned.

"Ugh, just go raid my closet." Blaine yelled as he escaped into the bathroom.

"Yes, sir!" Kayleigh saluted with a wink. Blaine sighed at her antics; she would never give up.

* * *

**New Message From: Blaine  
**Good morning! (I hope I didn't wake you) Second shelf down in your fridge.

**New Message From: Kurt**

Is this a riddle? And good morning :)

**New Message From: Blaine**

Nope, just go check.

**New Message From: Kurt**

I hope you feel guilty that you're making me leave my warm bed for this.

**New Message From: Blaine**

I hope it's worth it.

**New Message From: Kurt**

Blaine!

He was about to respond when he received an incoming call almost immediately after the last text was sent.

"Hi there!"

"Blaine! You're such a sweetheart! When did you do this?!" Kurt's surprised and breathless voice echoed through the phone.

"I put it in your fridge last night when you were getting your shoes on right after I got there… Do you like it?" Blaine asked nervously.

"No, I absolutely hate you right now because I'm eating cheesecake for breakfast when I should be spending my morning off at the gym like I planned." Blaine could hear the smile in his voice.

"Good. You deserve to _rest_ and _enjoy_ your day off." Blaine paused. "I'm glad you like it though. I know you said there's nothing like a New York cheesecake and I didn't know if you'd like the raspberry white chocolate flavor but I just wanted to do something to thank you for taking me last night and well, for everything really and—"

"Blaine," Kurt cut off his rambling. "You really didn't have to do that, but I love it, thank you." Blaine chuckled a bit and listened. "Seriously, where did you get this? This is probably the best cheesecake I've had around here. If you had gotten me anymore than just a slice I would have had to murder you after I finished the whole thing."

"I'll keep that in mind for the future," Blaine laughed.

"You're going to make me fat, aren't you? In that case no more award shows or parties. The last thing I need is more cheesecake."

"I'll come up with something else then, I suppose." Blaine pondered for a moment, then remembered Kayleigh's request. "Are you busy on Thursday night?" Blaine asked. "I'm playing at Gio's, but Kayleigh wanted to ask your opinion about some outfits for me this weekend… She asked me to be her model for a photo shoot she needs for a job interview with _Cannon._"

"Kayleigh has an interview with _Cannon_?! That's amazing!" Kurt exclaimed. Blaine knew how much he loved fashion; Kurt probably knew exactly the type of photography Kayleigh would be interviewing for. "And I'd love to help out, but I'm on schedule for Thursday afternoon. When are you guys doing it this weekend?"

"I'm not sure yet, but we can plan it so you can make it if you like. We'll probably be at her apartment for some of it at least…" Blaine wasn't sure where exactly she wanted to photograph him, but he hoped it wouldn't be too extravagant.

"I'm free on Saturday, for once, how about then?"

"Perfect, I'll let Kayleigh know and you can help out. She won't show it, but I know she's freaking out right now, it'll help to have someone else there to keep her calm." Blaine knew her well enough to know when she was hiding her anxiety. She was as nervous for this interview as Blaine was for his many shows coming up.

"Well, I'm glad to help. See you Saturday?" Kurt sounded hopeful and Blaine ignored the fluttering in his chest.

"Saturday." Blaine confirmed. Kayleigh was going to be so excited.

* * *

Quick note: _Cannon _is a fashion magazine that I made up especially for this verse, just for Kayleigh. Much like _Been&Done_, it's very popular and it doesn't exist except in this verse :)

Thanks for reading, everyone!

-Rae (tumblr: Raeofultraviolet)


	20. Chapter 20

_Been&Done: EMMYS ALERT! Best and worst dressed? Most surprising wins? Not surprising at all? What's the latest scoop from the red carpet? Find it all __here__!_

_Been&Done: [VIDEO & PHOTOS] Get the gossip from Kurt Hummel! See our interview __here__! _Far From the End _star talks costar Russell Bourdan's nomination, show spoilers, and musician boyfriend, Blaine Anderson! Red carpet photos of the pair can be found on our __Emmys Red Carpet__ page. We all know they both looked AMAZING in their classic Hollywood look, but how is it possible for one couple to look so hot?_

* * *

Blaine hesitated as his middle finger hovered over the enter button on the keyboard. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous about it but for some reason Kayleigh's previous warnings about fan sites had scared him a bit. Biting his lip, he pressed the enter button and was quickly transferred to the front page of the gossip site Kayleigh had taken him to before. He was curious to see if there was anything about him or Kurt from the Emmys.

He scrolled through for a few minutes, ignoring all of the gossip that didn't pertain to what he was looking for. When he finally reached all of the news about the Emmys, his phone rang and Kayleigh's name lit up the screen.

"Hey, Kayleigh." Blaine answered.

"Hey, Boo, whatcha doin'?" Blaine rolled his eyes at the nickname but couldn't help his grin.

"I'm currently exploring the magic of a lovely website called _Been&Done,_" Blaine said as he scrolled. He pulled his phone away from his ear as Kayleigh gasped dramatically. "What?" He said before she could speak, "I'm curious."

"Well there is an article about you on there, kind of. Something about 'Kurt Hummel's fabulous arm candy,' or something like that." Kayleigh teased.

"Please tell me that's not what the article is called."

"No, it's not. It's really a little blurb, but there are a few links to different videos from interviews and a link to a song from one of your shows from about two weeks ago. I think it's _Falling in Love With my Best Friend_, but I could be wrong." Kayleigh paused for a moment, pondering. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's that one. You'll see it."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Blaine asked, not in an accusatory way at all; he was just used to Kayleigh gossiping about him all the time.

"I was preoccupied with my interview. I'll make it up to you though. Give me ten minutes and I'll be at your place? We can explore the wonders of your adoring fans together." She offered.

"Sure, I'll see you then." Blaine hung up and abandoned his laptop on the couch, going to the kitchen to get a drink and something to snack on for the two of them once Kayleigh arrived.

She ran in moments later, not even bothering to knock as she pushed her sunglasses up to rest in her hair.

"Hey, B!" She called as she settled on the couch; Blaine came back into the room with two glasses of lemonade and a bowl of pretzels while she scrolled through his laptop.

"Hey," He greeted, settling next to her. "Are you ready to show me how to work the gossip system?"

"You bet!" She exclaimed, clearly more excited about this than Blaine. "Just do me a favor, don't take anything you read on here personally. Like I said before, it can get pretty intense."

"What do you mean by intense?" Blaine questioned as he took a sip of his lemonade.

"You'll see." She navigated the website easily, quickly finding the little snippets about him on the red carpet with Kurt. Kayleigh clicked on all the links next to the little blurb and opened them in new pages while Blaine scanned the article. Most of it was very neutral, commenting on the fact that Kurt had apparently been dating Blaine since early this summer, and talking about his regular shows at Giovanni's.

"Basically all the juicy stuff about you is in the comments on these links." Kayleigh pointed to the right of the screen. "That's where the videos of Kurt's interviews are and all of the comments that follow. Most of the main articles on this site try to stay neutral, with a little teasing here and there, and what not." Kayleigh commented, nodding towards the end of the article where Blaine had read something about taking a poll to decide which one of them was the one everyone should be more jealous of. He blushed slightly at that comment but turned to Kayleigh with a raised eyebrow.

"I feel like I'm taking a class. Gossip 101 taught by Miss Kayleigh Rooney."

"You are. Pay close attention." She grabbed his chin and turned his head back to the screen. "Are you ready to be hit with fangirl reactions?"

"As I'll ever be." Blaine pushed her hand away but watched as she switched tabs to one of Kurt's interviews from the red carpet at the Emmys. The interview consisted mostly of Kurt talking about _Far From the End_, Russell's nomination, and general happenings on the carpet and at the Emmys. When asked about his date he mentioned that he was, in fact, dating Blaine and they have been together since the summer. Most of the videos were pretty much repeats of the first, except for one where the interviewer was particularly curious about Blaine, asking where they met, and all of the juicy gossip they could get.

Blaine didn't know what to expect when he started to read the comments, but one thing for sure, Kayleigh was absolutely right about some people having… strange opinions. He scrolled through for a few minutes, trying so hard to ignore all of the comments about the "fabulous sex they must be having," but it was proving to be very hard when Kayleigh was sitting right there and staring at him, trying to gauge his reaction.

"God, they're worse than you!" Blaine turned to her, figuring the best way to deal with it was to brush it off and laugh. "And they don't even know either of us!" He continued scrolling as Kayleigh laughed next to him.

"Yeah… I told you it gets intense. Soon enough you'll be drawn in cartoon porn!" Kayleigh bit back a laugh as Blaine choked on the sip of lemonade he had been trying to swallow.

"WHAT?" Blaine coughed out, trying to breathe.

"Oh, yeah. I told you, people have weird kinks. Soon enough they're going to be exploiting you guys in fanfictions and drawing really creepy pictures of you in all kinds of kinky positions. Perks of being famous." Kayleigh said nonchalantly as Blaine got his breathing under control.

"You are terrible." Blaine said, coughing once more and trying to glare at her.

"Hey, it's the truth," Kayleigh shrugged. "It's a mad, mad world in the land of fangirling." She said over dramatically. Blaine snorted and turned back to the page.

"I'll just do my best to ignore all that, I suppose…" He resigned, scrolling through the comments once more.

"That's the spirit!" He rolled his eyes and continued to read the comments on each video, relishing in the compliments he received directly, especially those with links to more videos telling others to check out his music. At first, he was really glad that some people were so excited for Kurt and happy that he found a boyfriend, someone he could be happy with, but that was immediately followed by a slight pang of guilt. Blaine still felt like he was taking that away from him. That guilt only increased further when he saw the comments about how Blaine was using Kurt just to get famous.

"Don't pay attention to those comments, okay?" Kayleigh must have noticed his twisted expression and the pained look in his eyes. She took the laptop from him and pulled up more videos from Gio's. He didn't know who was taking them, but he didn't particularly care. Hey, it was a way to spread the word about his music.

"Trust me, B, they're all just jealous, okay?" She soothed. "I know you love Kurt, even if you won't admit it yet. And I know both you and Kurt know that, so what does it matter what the rest of the world thinks? Don't worry about stupid people who hate on you when they don't even know you. Look at these comments instead," She pushed the computer to his lap, scrolling down on the YouTube comments to his videos. The majority of them were positive, and mostly about him and not his relationship with Kurt.

"Thanks, Kay. You're the best, you know that?" Blaine leaned his head on her shoulder, taking a deep breath.

"I know; what would you do without me?" Kayleigh huffed fondly. "Seriously though, you're happy, don't let anyone else dictate that." She kissed his cheek and got up off the couch, grabbing the bowl of pretzels. "You brought out pretzels and no hummus? Do you even know me at all?" Blaine grinned and took comfort in the familiarity of Kayleigh's tone. Some things never change.

* * *

"God, Blaine will you just hold still while I tie this? You're being incorrigible!" Kayleigh huffed as she straightened Blaine's bowtie. Kurt was failing miserably at his attempt to hold in his laughter and Blaine shot him a look that said, 'don't you even dare.'

"I know how to tie a damn bowtie, Kayleigh. You're just being fussy." Blaine shot back, but lifted his chin and allowed her to fix the non-existent problem. He knew she was just nervous and wanted everything to be perfect. Her future may depend on this photo shoot right now, after all.

"Okay, you're good." She nodded as she smoothed the lapels of his jacket. "Now don't touch it! Go…" She looked at their surroundings, deciding where she wanted him next. They were behind the main area of a park where an old, now unused, set of train tracks ran. An abandoned set of cars stood on one of the tracks, now rusty and covered in graffiti. Blaine didn't question her choice in location; he actually thought it was pretty creative.

"Go stand on the end of that cart there and hold onto the edge of the bar." She pointed to a large cart at the end that looked more rusted than vandalized, and Blaine climbed up as he was told. He held onto the bar behind his head and hung forward a bit.

"Like this?" He asked anxiously. He was definitely not a model, and he had no idea what to do.

"Um…" She peered through her camera and angled herself from the ground. "Spread your hands a bit and don't lean so far forward… Yeah, good. Now just relax and try to keep a straight face without looking like you're mad." Blaine did his best and he heard the camera click a few times. "Look off to the side a bit, don't look right at me," she instructed as snapped more photos. Blaine concentrated as best he could, trying his best to please her. He really wanted to help, but he didn't know how difficult posing actually could be. How Kurt did this all the time was beyond him.

"Damn it, Blaine, you look like you want to murder someone!" Kayleigh pulled her camera away from her face and looked back through the pictures she just took. "It's either that or a forced smile. Just _relax._" Blaine sighed and hopped off the edge of the cart.

"I don't know how to! I can't… I don't know how to make a straight face on cue; I feel like it just looks blank!"

"Blaine, look at me." Kurt instructed from behind Kayleigh. He sighed again and met Kurt's eyes. "Close your eyes and think about something that makes you extremely happy." Blaine did as he was told, like he had all day. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what was running through his mind. At one point he was at Giovanni's playing piano, and then he was laying on his living room floor watching Casey paint, and next he was in Central Park, staring across a small pond with Kurt's head on his shoulder—

"Open your eyes and look at me." Kurt's voice interrupted his thoughts and he opened his eyes once more, meeting Kurt's crystal blue ones with a small smile on his face, just the up curve of the corner of his lips. "There. That's your expression." Blaine raised his eyebrows in surprise and Kayleigh cursed out loud.

"Damn, I think I missed it!" She looked back through the photos and squealed. "Nope! I got it! Look at you two; you're the cutest." She showed them the picture she took, right before Blaine had raised his eyebrows, both of them calm and staring intently at each other. "Don't worry, I won't use this for the portfolio. Kurt, you're a genius. Blaine, get back up there." Blaine's cheeks flared as he stalked back over to the cart and hoisted himself up once more. When Kayleigh was satisfied, she had him move on to another one of the carts where he was told to lean against the edge. He lost the bowtie and pulled on a looser cardigan over his shirt instead.

"No, Blaine, pick your foot up a bit—no, not like that! Don't kick it out; you look stupid; bend your knee. No! Dumbass, you look like a cancan dancer. Just—will you stop messing with me?! Ugh, rest your foot on the—BLAINE ANDERSON I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DO THAT ONE MORE TIME I WILL KICK YOU SO HARD—"

"Kayleigh! Just tell me straightforward what you want! I can't keep guessing!" Blaine hollered over her. Kurt chuckled and came over to where Blaine was standing.

"Goodness, you two bicker like siblings." He said, leaning back with his foot resting behind him slightly so his knee was crooked just a bit. "Like that." He told him calmly.

"SEE?! Kurt knows what I mean!" Kayleigh shot at him.

"Why don't you just shoot him then!" Blaine called exasperatedly, then realized what he said and glanced at Kurt, who simply shrugged and looked at Kayleigh.

"Do you want to?" He offered. "No offense to Blaine, but I bet it would go a lot faster." Kayleigh looked shocked and stumbled over incoherent words before she was able to form complete sentences.

"Oh, I—I couldn't. You do—do _professional_ shoots and I'm not—I don't want you to—I shouldn't—"

"If I couldn't do it, I wouldn't offer," Kurt shrugged with a smile. "You can use the both of us for some variety." He bumped Blaine's hip, effectively making him lose his balance and fall out of the way. "Scoot, short stuff. I'll take this one." He said as he relaxed back into the pose he just showed Blaine. Kayleigh's eyes went so wide Blaine feared they would fall out of their sockets, but she shook her head and went back to where she was standing before, snapping pictures of Kurt from every angle while he stood there with such a calm and graceful posture and expression.

"Perfect! Oh, you are a godsend!" Kayleigh beamed at Kurt and then looked around. "All right, say no if you don't want to, but can I take some with both of you?" She bit her lip and looked hopefully up at the two of them, her short blonde hair swaying in her face a little with the wind. Blaine looked over at Kurt, a silent, 'up to you' in his eyes. Kurt smiled and nodded slightly.

"Where do you want us?" He asked her. She jumped up and down for a second before nodding towards the second set of tracks. "Kurt you sit on the edge of the tracks and Blaine you stand on the bar on the other side. But stand like you're walking on it, towards me." She backed up a little to test out the angles as Kurt and Blaine made their way down the tracks.

"Thank god you came," Blaine muttered. "She would have tied me to the tracks and left me by now."

"Nah, she loves you too much." Kurt grinned. "But I'm glad I came too, this is fun."

"Your idea of fun clearly does not match mine." Blaine deadpanned.

"It's fun being behind the camera for once, just watching. Don't get me wrong; I'm happy to help, but it's fun to watch you two at each other's throats and to see Kayleigh's style. It makes more sense, all the strange things photographers make you do, when you're seeing it from their angle instead of the strange neck-breaking angle you're at yourself."

"More things to keep in mind for the future?" Blaine questioned, watching Kurt settle against the tracks.

"Oh, how the list keeps growing," He laughed and turned towards Kayleigh. "Is this good?" He called to her, leaning with one knee crossed over the other. Kayleigh sent them a thumbs-up as Blaine balanced himself on the edge, hands in his pockets as if he were taking a leisurely stroll.

"See? You're getting the hang of it. You'll be professional-ready in no time at all!" Kurt turned back towards Kayleigh with the smallest smile on his face, completely relaxed and in his element. Blaine was amazed at the transition.

Kayleigh beckoned them back after a few minutes of having them change positions and adjust angles. Kurt helped Blaine up from where he was sitting on the tracks, a smile gracing his face once more.

"I think I might have enough for the portfolio. Thank you!" She hugged them both enthusiastically. "I owe you guys; you're the best!"

"Apart from my lack of knowledge in the photo world, it was no problem, Kay. Seriously." Blaine said, squeezing her arm.

"Okay, I'm going to go mess with these, I'll show you the prints when they're done!" Kayleigh leaned up and kissed both of their cheeks and grabbed her bag in a hurry. "See you later, guys!"

"She really is a great photographer," Kurt commented as they gathered Blaine's bag full of outfit changes and followed Kayleigh's path at a much more leisurely pace towards the parking lot of the park. "I'm curious to see how they look when she's done, she had some good ideas."

"She definitely has a knack for it," Blaine nodded. "I hope she gets the job; she deserves it." Kurt hummed in agreement and they walked in silence for a few minutes, hands clasped and swinging easily between them without either of them realizing it, before Blaine spoke up again.

"So, I got my schedule yesterday. My boss and I met with my new agent, Maya, and we finalized everything…" He started nervously.

"For your shows? When are they?" Kurt perked up excitedly. It sent a thrill through Blaine that he cared so much.

"It's going to be a show almost every night for a little over three weeks. I start in a week and a half about an hour or so outside the city." Blaine told him. "I can give you a copy of the schedule if you'd like. I don't—you don't have to come to any of them if you don't want to, or if you have work or anything—"

"Of course I want to go!" Kurt interrupted. "I can't miss it! I'd feel like…" He stopped and pondered for a moment. "Right now I honestly feel like a proud parent. I want to be there to see your first little mini-tour!"

"It's not a mini-tour, it's really just me playing at a bunch of dinner venues that I've never been to for three weeks." Blaine shrugged, ignoring some of the stares that were starting to accumulate in their direction.

"Stop degrading yourself; this is just the start. You'll be selling out Madison Square Garden before you know it." Blaine hummed in response, but then squeezed Kurt's hand to get his attention and nodded towards the gathering crowd discretely.

"Should we be worried?" Blaine asked, keeping his expression pretty neutral behind his sunglasses.

"Nah, they'll probably take a few pictures which will be all over the internet by dinner and then TMZ will have them by tomorrow." Kurt gave a slight wave toward the crowd as they continued walking towards the parking lot, never letting go of each other's hands the entire way.

"Exactly how often does this happen that you know this?" Blaine questioned.

"Not too terribly often. I've been keeping up more with trashy tabloids since we started dating so I could keep an eye on you." Kurt shrugged. "I've got to make sure everyone agrees with me that you're amazing."

"Well, shucks," Blaine blushed a little bit, but mostly he was milking it as he flipped his wrist down playfully.

"See now you're just _asking_ for attention." Kurt smirked as they reached the parking lot and got into the car, tossing Blaine's bag in the back. They were silent for a few minutes as Blaine began driving back towards Kurt's house from the park.

Finally, Kurt spoke up. "Are you playing at Gio's anytime in the next week and a half? I have a crazy schedule for the next few weeks so I'll have to make some time at some point to see you play."

"I think I'm playing Wednesday night, and then again on Friday. Then I start up on this so called 'mini-tour' next week so I won't be at Gio's for another four weeks because we were both booked up until then."

"What is Gio going to do without you?" Kurt asked in a false dramatic voice.

"He'll find someone better. Or he'll find another depressing college student that a hot-shot actor will pretend to date so he or she can get famous." Blaine stuck his tongue out at Kurt and laughed.

"Be careful what you wish for," was all Kurt responded, along with a wink. Before Blaine could react, Kurt continued, "Just make sure you get me a copy of your schedule for the next few weeks because I really do want to see you. I don't think I can make it to Gio's this week." Kurt pouted.

"I'm sure you'll be able to make it to another show soon. It's not like they're going to sell out or anything."

"Maybe I'll tweet about it to make sure they do." Kurt suggested.

"Are you going to tweet at me so I get more followers?" Blaine teased. While he did have a twitter, he'd never really had much use for it, so he rarely went on. He supposed it would be more fun to use once he actually gained some followers anyway.

"I should actually do that… Maybe you'll even get the verified check mark!" Kurt exclaimed, feigning excitement. "Then Kayleigh can brag to everyone she knows."

"She already does that." Blaine sighed. "And now she's going to go even crazier with those pictures she took of us." He tried not to think about it. She wouldn't do anything without his permission, but he wasn't sure he really cared, anyway.

"Good, more publicity without even trying!" The two of them laughed as Blaine pulled into Kurt's driveway to drop him off. "You'll make sure to get me your schedule, right?"

"I will," Blaine confirmed.

"Thanks. I'll try my best to make it to as many shows as I can!" Kurt promised.

"I hope to see you there," Blaine said as Kurt pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before exiting the car. Kurt waved as he pulled out of the driveway, leaving Blaine sincerely hoping that he really would be there.

* * *

So there were no songs "performed" in this chapter, but there was a song mentioned:  
Falling in Love (With My Best Friend) - Matt White

Also, I know a few people were really interested in what Kurt said during that interview in the previous chapter, and while I didn't explicitly plan to have it included in the story, I might be posting a side-canon drabble type thing on my tumblr sometime this weekend, if I can get around to it. If not, then probably sometime within the next week. You can find it under the "iicuyl" tag :)

Thanks so much for reading!  
-Rae (tumblr: raeofultraviolet)


	21. Chapter 21

_Been&Done: Up and coming: Catch singer/songwriter Blaine Anderson at one of his shows this month! Check out the schedule __here__! We'll be there; will you?_

* * *

It turned out that Kurt actually couldn't make it to any of Blaine's shows. When Blaine sent him the schedule, he was very disappointed to find out that his schedule was busier than usual over the next few weeks and he wouldn't be able to see Blaine play. He did, however, send him sweet, encouraging messages every night before Blaine had a show. He even tweeted at Blaine once or twice before a show, which caused Blaine's twitter to blow up with replies. Honestly, Kurt's reassurance really did help Blaine a lot. He wasn't nervous about actually playing, not really, but Mark and Maya had suggested he hang around after each show for a little bit and talk to a few people if they approached him, rather than bolting out of there as soon as he was done. He'd been a little weary of the idea, seeing as he'd never really been good at meeting people, but he agreed, in the end. Hey, if it would help him in the long run, may as well get the practice now, right?

_I fell in love next to you  
__Burning fires in this room  
__It just fits  
__Light and smooth  
__Like my feet in my shoes  
__Little one, lie with me  
__Sew your heart to my sleeve  
__We'll stay quiet  
__Underneath shooting stars  
__If it helps you sleep  
_

_And hold me tight  
__Don't let me breathe  
__Feeling like  
__You won't believe_

_There's a firefly  
__Loose tonight  
__Better catch it  
__Before it burns this place down  
__And I lie  
__If I don't feel so right  
__But the world looks better  
__Through your eyes_

About a week into his new schedule, Blaine was pretty used to the routine. Not that it was monotonous in any way, but he had the structure down. He found that with a little bit of a push, he wasn't doing too badly with the meeting people part of it. In all honesty, he actually enjoyed talking to people and answering questions about his music. Most of the conversation was light and easy, so it really wasn't too hard.

_It's only been  
__One night of love  
__And maybe  
__That's not enough_

_Hold me tight  
__Don't let me breathe  
__Feeling like  
__You won't believe_

_There's a firefly loose tonight  
__Better catch it  
__Before it burns this place down  
__And I lie  
__If I don't feel so right  
__But the world looks better  
__Through your eyes_

The part that did get difficult was when people asked him about Kurt. He was never exactly secretive about the fact that they were dating—neither of them ever had been; that was kind of the point—but he wasn't really sure what he should say to answer everyone's (meaning mainly teenagers') questions. Most of the time he tried to keep his responses relatively neutral.

Usually, following a show he'd pack everything up and go hang out by the front of the stage and talk to people. Some would take pictures or ask him to sign something, and a few of those extra bold people would ask him about Kurt. Sometimes they'd be subtle about it, just asking how he's doing, other times they'd be very blunt and ask him more in depth questions about their relationship; how they met, how long they've been dating, etcetera. A few people asked if Kurt was ever coming to one of his shows, but he simply answered that Kurt was really busy and wasn't able to make it.

Blaine had recently gotten a kick out of checking the internet after his shows. After Kayleigh taught him all of the tricks to navigating _Been&Done,_ he'd type his name in the search bar every now and then to see what people were saying. He'd grown accustomed to all the inappropriate comments and chose to ignore them, looking instead for any praise or criticism. Most of the hate comments on the videos that bashed his style or his talent usually ended with something like 'he doesn't deserve someone like Kurt' or 'he's just using Kurt to get famous,' so Blaine usually just brushed them off, recognizing the fact that they written out of jealousy. Though they may be true, it's not like he didn't care for Kurt. They were closer than Blaine had been with anyone in a while.

Blaine clicked through a few links to videos from his recent shows one evening and found a blog with a few pictures taken of him and a group of girls, all probably around seventeen or eighteen. Several other pictures were posted along with them, including one of him when he was unmistakably trying to hide his blush. The comments on the post were sweet to read, though.

_We met Blaine Anderson yesterday at his show! He was one of the nicest and most humble people I ever met!_

_He was so shy, especially when we asked him about Kurt ;)_

_GAHHHH look at him he's so cute!_

_Is he blushing? That is PRECIOUS_

_ASKJHF;ALKGJAJHGL;KHDF I CAN'T just stop_

_WHY DON'T I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA *ugly sobbing*_

Blaine laughed at some of the comments and was scrolling through even more when his phone rang. He smiled as Kurt's name lit up the screen and answered.

"Hey, you." Blaine answered

"Hi! How are your shows going?" He asked the same question almost everyday, but it was nice to know Blaine had a lot of support.

"Really well," He responded with a smile even though Kurt couldn't see it. "I'm playing pretty much like I always do, I guess, but I'm getting better at, well, talking to people. Maya said I should try to hang out after the shows and let people ask questions and try to let them get to know me a little bit so… that's what I've been doing." Blaine ended awkwardly.

"How's that working out?"

"Good, I guess. I've been talking to a lot of people; most of them are teenagers, but what can you do?" Kurt chuckled at that and Blaine knew that if anyone understood, it was Kurt. "It hasn't been too bad because mostly they just compliment me or want a picture and sometimes they'll ask about my music, so mostly everything I have to talk about is easy. Although apparently every time they ask about you I can't stop blushing…" Blaine laughed, still reading the comments on the pictures.

"Oh, really?" Kurt asked in a teasing tone.

"Yeah… Kayleigh thought it'd be a wonderful idea to teach me to navigate her favorite gossip site, which led me to some girl's blog with a bunch of pictures from last night." He explained.

"Oh, no." Kurt stated in mock horror. "You're on the blogs! That's a dangerous place!"

"So I've heard. I'm only looking at this one post of pictures though. And the comments… I'm kind of getting a kick out of them right now." Blaine laughed.

"Oh god, what do they say?" Kurt's curiosity seemed to have gotten the best of him.

"According to one comment, I'm just plain adorable when I blush."

"Well, I can't argue with that." Kurt countered.

"Most of the people commenting apparently can't decide whether they find me more hot or cute. I'm not even going to try to indulge you with the colorful comments on those." Blaine read through a few before he finally gave up and went back to the main website. "Kayleigh was right; some people can be a little extreme."

"Welcome to my world," Kurt laughed. "So you've been getting good at talking to your crazy fangirls?"

"I guess so. They're not bad though; a lot of them were really sweet." Blaine shrugged, leaning back against the couch cushions to relax.

"Well that's good, you can ease your way into it. You just wait until you meet some _really_ crazy people. That's when the fun begins." Kurt joked.

"Well, that's the goal, isn't it? Then I'll take the next level of your 'How to be Famous' class and you can teach me how to fight them off." They were both quiet for a moment, but it wasn't the least bit uncomfortable, much like everything else about their relationship.

"Hey, did Kayleigh ever hear anything back from _Cannon_? I know she had her interview a while ago, but you guys never told me anything." Kurt asked, not just out of politeness but out of pure interest. It was nice to know that even though Kayleigh had a strong personality, she and Kurt got along very well. Though, Blaine supposed Kurt was used to strong personalities from Rachel.

"They haven't called her back yet, but according to Kayleigh her interview went really well. She said the woman that interviewed her was really impressed with the pictures she took of you and me. Apparently she was surprised that she was able to get you to be in her shoot." Blaine told him. Kayleigh had relayed all of this information to him directly following her interview, telling him all about how she had to explain that they were friends and she had originally asked Blaine to model and Kurt stepped in to help out. Her words all came out in a rush and were filled with squeals of excitement.

"Well, it's really the least I can do. Did she show you the pictures she chose?"

"Yeah, You'll have to see them, they're really good. I sometimes forget how amazing she is at it. She chose mostly individuals of me and some of you, because she didn't want to make it look like she was trying to use that to get in. She told me she only used the best of yours, even though you, and I quote, 'made it look so much more natural when taking pictures.' "

"Well, I've been doing this for a while, you only just got roped in by your friend." Kurt reasoned and Blaine hummed in response. "Did she use any of the ones of us together?"

"Yeah, she used a few of those. They were actually my favorites," Blaine confessed. "I mean, you look great in all of them, but I feel like I don't look as awkward. She used that candid one she took as well, the one she said she wouldn't. Apparently it was too good not to be seen."

"Well, as long as I look good." Kurt mused. "I'm glad everything went well. I really hope she gets it."

"Me too." Blaine agreed. "She deserves it. And the woman gave her some really positive feedback, so hopefully that means good news. I'll let you know when I—"

"BLAINE!" The front door to Blaine's apartment slamming open interrupted Blaine's sentence as Kayleigh ran in with a huge grin on her face.

"Speak of the devil and she shall appear," Blaine chuckled into the phone.

"Who's that? Are you talking to Kurt?" Kayleigh asked, kneeling right up next to him.

"Yeah, we were actually just talking about your interview. Hold on," Blaine put the phone on speaker.

"Hi, Kurt!" Kayleigh exclaimed.

"Hey, Kayleigh!" Kurt said, nearly just as excitedly. "Blaine sucks at giving me all the details—"

"Hey!"

"—How did your interview go?" Kurt finished.

"Wonderful! Super wonderful! Ella, the woman who interviewed me, said she was really impressed with my style and the risk I took with the location but she loved them! And she absolutely loved the pictures of the two of you together; she thought it was so sweet! Especially that candid one, which I know I said I wouldn't use but it's absolutely perfect, I had to. Really, you guys should frame it, it's sooooo precious." Kayleigh went on about how great her interview went while Kurt appropriately commented in the right places and Blaine sat back and beamed, entirely proud of his friend. The last time he'd been this happy was in college, when Casey was still alive.

"Kayleigh, that's great!" Kurt exclaimed through the phone when she finished. "You have to let me know when you hear back from them!"

"I will, I promise! I really couldn't have done it without you guys." Kayleigh beamed at Blaine, who returned her smile.

"It was no problem, Kay, really." Blaine said as she settled down on the couch next to him. They sat back with the phone on speaker between them, comfortable in the moment, as if their lives were still so simple, before all of these opportunities had been laid out before them to chase after.

"I had a lot of fun with it, Kayleigh; if not for taking the pictures then definitely for watching you and Blaine bicker nonstop." Kurt laughed into the line. "Are you sure you guys only met in college? Because you sound like you've been friends forever."

"Nah, Kayleigh just has a nice, irritating way of getting under your skin like a parasite and refuses to stop bothering you." Blaine quipped immediately, throwing a playful glance at Kayleigh, who was just as quick.

"And Blaine's just like a puppy. He's cute at first but then after a day he starts chewing and shitting on everything and you want to kick him but you can't because of those _damn eyes._"

"Oh, I definitely agree with you on that." Kurt said. "I can never say no to him when he gives me that look—"

"Oh, _really—_"

"KAYLEIGH, DON'T YOU DARE!" Blaine shouted over her, not wanting this conversation to turn awkward quickly. He knew where she was going with that, and he'd rather deal with her innuendos on his own.

"Oh, Blaine, come on it's not like you have to lie to me—" She started, but Blaine cut her off once more.

"Just stop." He said forcefully, and then tried to pull the boyfriend card, because he knew it would work on her. "I haven't talked to Kurt in nearly a week, can we just leave this be for now?" He gave her a pleading look, the best one he could muster without it looking pathetic.

"Okay. Yeah, fine." She shrugged, but then mouthed a sincere sorry as Blaine turned back to the phone.

"So how was work today?" Blaine asked Kurt, changing the subject. Kayleigh leaned forward next to him, quietly whispering the word "drink" in a question. Blaine shook his head and mouthed a "no thank you," switching the phone off of speaker and bringing it to his ear before she got up and went to the kitchen, clearly giving Blaine a moment to talk to Kurt. Even if it wasn't really in the sentiment she thought it was, he still appreciated it.

"So exhausting. This episode we're doing is just really emotional and every time we shoot something it takes forever and it's just emotionally draining. I want to pass out right now." Kurt explained.

"Are you still there?"

"They needed to fix a few things with the set tonight so we got off early today since we can't pick back up until tomorrow. I'm on my way out now."

"Kurt, you're not…" Blaine started nervously.

"No! No I promise I'm not talking to you while driving. I called you when I was still in my trailer. I'm on my way to my car now; don't worry." Kurt reassured him and Blaine relaxed instantly. Kurt knew how he felt about being distracted in the car. Kurt felt the same way because the same thing nearly happened to his friend in high school. Maybe Kurt didn't mean a lot to him in the same way that Casey did, but he was still an important person in his life, and Blaine couldn't stand it if something happened to Kurt because of that. Honestly, he couldn't stand it if something happened to Kurt no matter what the cause.

"Thank you." Blaine whispered.

"There's no reason to make you worry unnecessarily." Kurt replied simply, and Blaine heard a car door shut. "I was actually calling to see if you were doing anything tonight. I haven't had a night off in far too long. And I miss seeing you play. Wink wink, nudge nudge." Blaine laughed and flushed slightly. He was reluctant to admit, but he missed playing for Kurt.

"Well Kayleigh's over now, but you can come over and join us if you like? If I kick her out she might start getting ideas and spreading rumors." He rolled his eyes when Kayleigh peaked around the corner looking offended, but then she dropped the expression in favor of waggling her eyebrows at him.

"God, she's almost as bad as Santana." Kurt laughed good-naturedly.

"Santana?" Blaine questioned.

"The friend from high school that I lived with in New York for a little while. Every other sentence out of her mouth was some sort of innuendo, I swear. Her favorite things to talk about were the sex lives of all of her friends. I think she liked to live vicariously through all of us; her whole slutty image was just a front." Kurt explained fondly. "Anyway, are you sure you don't mind? I don't want to interrupt anything."

"You're not interrupting anything—"

"KURT, COME OVER! WE CAN PLOT AGAINST BLAINE'S PUPPY EYES TOGETHER!" Kayleigh shouted from the kitchen. She really was not subtle about her eavesdropping at all, even when she could only hear Blaine's half of the conversation.

"Did you catch that?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, I caught it. I'll be over soon, okay?" Blaine could hear the faint rumble of Kurt starting the engine and the click of him buckling his seatbelt. Even if it wasn't entirely for Blaine, he still was touched by the little things Kurt did, like waiting to drive until he wouldn't be distracted.

"Perfect, see you soon."

* * *

"So, wait, what was it that you used to do?" Kurt asked, very confused as Blaine flushed bright red and Kayleigh nearly choked out her laughter.

"Nothing! I was just playing piano at parties—"

"While you were shitfaced—" Kayleigh added over Blaine.

"I was not shitfaced!" Blaine defended. Kurt could tell he was trying desperately to reel Kayleigh back in before she made a fool out of him by telling stories of the few times he'd come out of his shell in college. Apparently it was only when they were around his close friends, but when it did happen, there was no stopping him.

"He was sooooo shitfaced." Kayleigh whispered conspiratorially to Kurt, who laughed in response, raising an eyebrow at Blaine.

"I was maybe _tipsy_…" He threw a glare at Kayleigh and continued. "I just played piano versions of songs, that's all."

"That is _not_ all!" Kayleigh argued.

"Yes, it—"

"Shut up, you don't tell it right." Kayleigh shoved a chip in Blaine's mouth from the bowl that was resting on the coffee table in front of them. She turned to Kurt while Blaine was forced to chew around the unwelcome food in his mouth, his glare never leaving Kayleigh.

"So, we used to actively try to get him drunk after the first time he did this, because all the cool people in the arts college were having a party one night and all of the sudden he sat down at the piano yelling 'everybody shut the hell up I have to sing this it's important!' So we were all taken aback because here was Blaine all in his shy, curly-haired cuteness, and he was yelling above all of us telling us how important it was that he sang this song RIGHT NOW." Kayleigh laughed dotingly and continued. "So he started playing this really pretty melody and we were all thinking it's from one of his classical seminars or maybe a piano sonata. And then he opened his mouth and he started singing this really artistic cover of _Die Young_ by Ke$ha and I swear everyone in that room dropped to the floor and ran out of oxygen. It was HYSTERICAL!" Kayleigh couldn't contain her giggles any longer and Kurt burst into laughter. He could just picture Blaine, a few years younger, trying so hard to please everyone and come out of his shell.

"Okay, yes, everyone laugh at Blaine's expense." Blaine was trying to sound annoyed but Kurt noticed the slight upturn of his lips.

"We're not laughing at you! You should play us one of your piano remixes!" Kurt said after he'd calmed down a bit. Kayleigh was still cracking up next to them; tears of laughter running steadily down her cheeks.

"No. Absolutely not." Blaine deadpanned. "The last thing I need is for you to see that. I'll never hear the end of it."

"Pretty please?" Kurt looked up at Blaine through his eyelashes, hoping his puppy look had a similar effect on Blaine as Blaine's did on him. Seeing as it had worked so well the last time he tried it, he figured it might at least have some leverage.

"Hey! No, we made a rule about that." Blaine tried to give him a stern look that wasn't working one little bit. Kayleigh watched the exchange from her seat with a look of adoration in her eyes.

"Yes, because neither of us has broken it before." Kurt rolled his eyes with a sarcastic smirk in place and stood up, tugging Blaine with him by the hand, knowing he'd already won.

"I'm only doing this if you play for me. You still have a quota building up, you know." Blaine reasoned. "I believe it's somewhere around twenty-eight to one."

"It is not that many." Kurt disagreed, pushing Blaine down onto the bench and plopping himself down next to him. Kayleigh followed them into the room and sat down on the plaid couch on the far wall that faced the piano.

"Wait, what is this quota that's building up?" Kayleigh asked. The sly smirk starting to form on her lips was ignored by both of the men sharing the piano bench.

"For some strange reason, Mr. BFA-in-Music over here," Kurt jerked a thumb over his shoulder to emphasize his point while Blaine dropped his head in defeat, a small grin spreading across his features. "Finds it necessary to watch me make a fool of myself while attempting to play piano. He keeps trying to get me to play for him, but I refuse. I don't have a fine arts degree; I barely took real lessons when I was a kid." He huffed, turning to Blaine only to find him looking back with the widest, most innocent eyes he'd ever seen.

Exasperated, Kurt turned back to Kayleigh. "He's worse than the damn Sarah McLachlan commercials."

"I've been saying that for years!" Kayleigh put her hands up in surrender. "I usually try to cover his face with my hands so I don't have to look at it. I can't guarantee that if you try that he won't lick you, though." She winked at Blaine, who had given up by this point and started to play a soft, sweet melody that Kurt could almost recognize but not quite place. He and Kayleigh stopped their teasing to listen, and it wasn't until Blaine made it a few lines in with a whispered falsetto that Kurt recognized it.

_She sits alone, waiting for suggestions  
__He's so nervous, avoiding all her questions  
__His lips are dry, her heart is gently pounding  
__Don't you just know exactly what they're thinking?_

Kurt was caught somewhere between wanting to burst out laughing at the song choice and being utterly captivated by how beautiful Blaine could make it sound. Blaine didn't look around being flirty and teasing like Kurt expected; he just focused on the music he created and the arrangement he put together to make it sound so striking until you listen to the lyrics and realize just how silly it all really is. Kurt listened for the remainder of the song and he giggled slightly throughout and when it ended, but clapped all the same.

"That was just—_how_ did you do that?" Kurt said, amazed.

"I told you! Isn't it awesome?" Kayleigh laughed. "Although I have to say I haven't heard that one before…"

"Oh, shut up, Kay." Blaine brushed her off. He knew if they ignored her long enough she'd give it up and let it be. "All right, I played for you; now it's your turn." He demanded, turning back to Kurt.

"We'll add it to my quota." Kurt tried, whirling around to get off of the piano bench before Blaine could stop him.

"Not-uh. You're playing tonight." Blaine slung his right arm around Kurt's waist before he could get too far and Kurt flushed under the warmth and the comfort. He slid on the bench as Blaine pulled him back towards him, pressed tightly against his side. "No nursery rhymes this time. Play me a good one." His arm didn't leave from its spot, his hand gripped gently at his hip and his forearm rested against Kurt's lower back. Kurt tried not to think much of it, especially since Kayleigh was right there.

Oh, right. Kayleigh.

That's probably why Blaine was suddenly feeling so affectionate. It wasn't a drastic change from the norm, but Kurt noticed the subtleties that came with the presence of another person.

"Are you suggesting that my nursery rhymes are anything shy of perfection, Blaine?" He glanced over at Kayleigh and mentally contemplated his piano repertoire. He may be declining slowly, but he was aware that he was losing this battle, whether he liked it or not. "Why don't you just ask Kayleigh to play if you want to watch someone so badly?"

"Because I don't want to watch Kayleigh play; she can barely remember which note is which. There's a reason she's a photographer." Blaine gently squeezed Kurt's hip in encouragement and placed his hands on the keys for him.

"You know, I'd refute that statement, but there's really no point. I'm hopeless with the piano." Kayleigh sighed. "But I'm with Blaine, Kurt. You should play something. Maybe it'll help to deflate Blaine's ego."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Blaine turned his attention to her sounding slightly offended.

"You may be shy and quiet, but it's still there." Kayleigh shrugged, inspecting her nails as if sitting in the same room as the two of them together while egging on their banter wasn't a big deal. For Kayleigh, it really wasn't.

"Hey! I don't mean to—" Blaine tried to defend himself, but Kurt cut him off.

"Don't worry, Blaine. You've got nothing on half of the people I meet. And you'll have to be a little arrogant in this business anyway; it's just how it works."

"Yeah, I'll just work on that…" Blaine trailed off slowly, but then he shook himself out of it. "But back to the topic at hand," He placed his left hand over Kurt's, his right hand still wrapped tightly around him, and started pressing down on the keys rhythmically just as he had at Kurt's house a few weeks ago. He continued to play with him until Kurt began to take over and play on his own, both hands working together to plunk out a slow melody. He played for barely a minute until Blaine recognized it.

"Is that _Falling Slowly_?" Blaine spoke softly, as if he were afraid to interrupt.

"Sing with me?" was Kurt's only reply before starting the song from the beginning. He glossed over the keys and looked over at Blaine just before the lyrics would have flowed in, but Blaine's chin was resting on Kurt's shoulder and he watched Kurt play. He quietly sang when he was supposed to enter, the words brushing against Kurt's cheek and their voices blending well as Kurt joined him.

_I don't know you  
__But I want you  
__All the more for that  
__Words fall through me  
__And always fool me  
__And I can't react  
__And games that never amount  
__To more than they're meant  
__Will play themselves out_

_Take this sinking boat and point it home  
__We've still got time  
__Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice  
__You'll make it now_

Kurt didn't notice that Kayleigh was watching them intently from the corner of the room with such a small smile on her face, but it conveyed every happy emotion she could have been feeling at that point. He also didn't notice her phone perched on the edge of the piano, the video recording since before they started. She didn't want to miss a precious moment such as this.

_Falling slowly, eyes that know me  
__And I can't go back  
__Moods that take me and erase me  
__And I'm painted black  
__You have suffered enough  
__And warred with yourself  
__It's time that you won_

Kayleigh felt like she was interrupting something private. Watching the two of them, gravitating towards each other not just physically (though there was really no space between them anyway), but also in such a deep, emotional way, Kayleigh was at a loss for words. She'd never seen Blaine this open with anyone. They each seemed to have some sort of unspoken, mutual understanding of the other and what they meant to each other.

_Take this sinking boat and point it home  
__We've still got time  
__Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice  
__You've made it now  
__Falling slowly sing your melody  
__I'll sing it loud_

To be honest, Kayleigh really didn't know anything about Kurt. But she did know the look he gave Blaine when they finished singing, she could see the feeling behind the kiss they shared, completely oblivious to her presence. She knew that they loved each other, needed each other. She glanced over at the picture of Casey Blaine had framed on the shelf in the back of the room. Casey loved Blaine more than anything and always wanted what was best for him. She really thought he'd be so happy and proud of Blaine right now.

* * *

Phew! Lots of songs in this chapter!

Firefly - Ed Sheeran  
Die Young - Ke$ha _(Only mentioned from Blaine's college days. I imagine he could KILL this song and make it sound like a lullaby)_  
Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? - Rod Stewart _(However I do want to note that the version I imagine in this fic is the one Darren performed at the ASCAP Pop Awards in 2011, because it is the sexiest version of this song I can imagine. Type this in after the youtube URL to listen: /watch?v=KY0uE3cYriA )_  
Falling Slowly - Once (the musical)

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

-Rae (tumblr: raeofultraviolet)


	22. Chapter 22

I'm updating on time this week! Woo! Also, please stick around at the end for a brief rambling of emotions by Rae.

* * *

If Kurt were being honest with himself he'd admit that he really missed Blaine a lot in the past few weeks. That one night when he and Blaine hung out with Kayleigh was the only time they saw each other in the almost three weeks Blaine had been playing in new venues. And if Kurt were being honest, he'd admit that he wanted to rip up his ever so demanding schedule so he could watch Blaine play every night. He missed seeing Blaine lose himself in the music; he missed Blaine's bubbly attitude underneath his shy exterior that very few people had the fortune to see. He missed his laughter and his warmth and the way he was always so kind and put everyone else first.

But Kurt wasn't really being honest with himself.

He'd admit that he missed Blaine, but that's all. He would never allow himself to indulge in anything more. Because that's not how their relationship worked. They were only dating on the surface, and Kurt was there for that purpose only. Really, the best way to avoid heartbreak on either end was to keep their relationship strictly for the media.

And their friends.

And their families.

Kurt packed up his things and left his trailer, so incredibly happy that he'd be able to surprise Blaine at his last show tonight. He really didn't know if it would work out that way, but luck was on his side and he was allowed to leave early today due to a light schedule. While a part of him wanted so desperately to crawl into bed and sleep off the last week of work, a larger part of him wanted to go and watch his best friend play.

Because that's what Blaine was, his best friend.

And really, Kurt didn't think he actually had feelings for him or any sort of thing like that. Blaine was someone (a gorgeous someone) whom Kurt was extremely close to emotionally. He could tell him anything and know he'd never be judged and Blaine would always be on his side. Blaine was his best friend, that's all.

Which is really the only reason he was worried about their inevitable "break-up."

He wasn't worried that things would get awkward between them or they would lose touch; he was worried that the media wouldn't be able to drop the fact that they would (hopefully) still be close after it ended.

He sighed as he typed out a quick reply to Rachel on his phone (apparently she was trying to plan a weekend getaway to Lima), and tossed his phone into the passenger seat, staring at it for a moment before turning away and starting the car. His father had called him earlier and asked about his and Blaine's Thanksgiving plans. It startled Kurt that Burt had so easily included Blaine when asking about Kurt's plans. It was comforting, in a way, but it also made things more complicated.

Should they spend the holidays together? For appearances, sure, but that was a blurry line to draw. He'd have to ask Blaine about it.

For now, he focused on the road while he mentally ran through what he needed to do when he got home. He would only have an hour or so to get ready for Blaine's show, but he wasn't too worried. He didn't have much to do, anyway.

All throughout his routine of getting ready, he couldn't help but weigh the pros and cons of asking Blaine to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family in Lima. So far, it seemed the cons outweighed the pros. Sure, Kurt loved spending time with Blaine; they were friends after all. But if anyone could see through Kurt, it was his family. Maybe not so much Carole, but Burt would be able to tell. If Kurt and Blaine weren't able to keep up with their relationship while in Lima, Burt would see right through them. Kurt hated lying to his father regardless, but he didn't think his dad would understand exactly why Kurt was in this "relationship." Hell, Kurt didn't understand it half the time. It just… seemed right.

He pushed the thoughts away once more as he checked his reflection one last time, brushing his bangs up off of his forehead and smoothing his vest before heading out to his car. It wasn't just up to him, after all. He had to ask what Blaine wanted to do as well. They could talk after his show tonight.

* * *

Kurt was both surprised and thrilled to see that the place was pretty crowded. The venue could only hold a couple hundred people, but it was relatively full. He smiled with pride as he ducked into the back corner behind the bar, out of view of the other patrons in the building. This was Blaine's night.

Kurt thought for a moment as he weighed his options. He really wanted to surprise Blaine backstage, but he really had no way of getting back there without drawing attention to himself or letting Blaine know he was here. He pulled out his phone, ready to just call Blaine, when he saw a text awaiting him from Kayleigh.

**New Message From: Kayleigh  
**You're doing a terrible job of being inconspicuous. I'd know that hair anywhere. And if *I* know that, just think how little time you have until some fangirl notices you.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**Then can you get me backstage? And don't tell Blaine; I want to surprise him. He doesn't know I got off early today.

**New Message From: Kurt  
**And please, Kayleigh Rooney, don't even try to pretend you're not one of those fangirls.

**New Message From: Kayleigh  
**Well, well, Mr. Hummel, do you want me to get you backstage or not?

**New Message From: Kurt  
**Why does that sound like you're trying to make a deal?

**New Message From: Kayleigh  
**Do you know how much money I could make just from showing certain people these text messages?

**New Message From: Kurt  
**I knew I shouldn't have given you my number.

**New Message From: Kayleigh  
**But teasing you is so much fun!

**New Message From: Kurt  
**Just get me backstage before they notice me. Please? For Blaine? This is his night.

**New Message From: Kayleigh  
**Sure, pull the best friend guilt card on me. I'll be there in a sec.

Kurt smiled and slipped his phone into his back pocket as he waited for Kayleigh, watching people subtly from his not-very-inconspicuous hiding spot. Luckily, no one seemed to notice him.

"Lookin' good, hot stuff." Kayleigh joked as she appeared on his right. She looped a hand through his and led him back to a short hallway behind the bar with three doors. One led to an outdoor patio and two had signs that read, "Employees Only." Kayleigh pushed open the far door and continued to lead him through as he spoke.

"Thanks, Kayleigh, but you know I'm taken and spoken for and all that. Not to mention I'm not on your team." Kurt teased.

"Eh, I can still admire a good looking man. Why do you think I'm such good friends with Blaine?" She retorted.

"Touché." Kurt chuckled. "So how's he doing? I really haven't seen him a lot these past few weeks. My schedule's been insane; I barely have time to think."

"He's been great. Really great, actually. You can tell he's a little bummed that you couldn't make it to his shows, but I think the fact that he's finally doing what he loves, even if nothing is official yet, is really lifting up his spirits. He looks so at home when he's performing. Well, you know that, you've seen him." There was a twinkle in her coffee colored eyes when she winked at him as if they shared a secret. He offered a small grin back at her as they slowed their walk when they reached an opened door with the sounds of well-practiced guitar music pouring out.

"Go ahead," Kayleigh nudged him and nodded towards the open door. "I'll give you two a minute." Kurt looked at her questioningly when she flashed him a bright, knowing smile, but instead of commenting, he nodded and stepped into the room quietly.

Blaine was sitting on a stool towards the back of the room facing a mirror, but not looking in it. He practiced his chords and scales in swift movements along the neck of his guitar, his eyes closed and fingers taking over. Kurt always loved how in tune Blaine was with his music. It made his playing so pure and raw and powerful.

He sauntered over towards Blaine somewhat quietly, not wanting to interrupt, but wanting his presence to be made known. When Blaine didn't seem to notice he was there, he cleared his throat and spoke gently, trying not to startle him.

"God, it's been so long since I've seen you play." He whispered, surprised at the sound of awe in his own voice. Blaine jumped slightly in his seat, but his eyes flickered up to Kurt's in the mirror and widened before he turned around and leapt off the stool, a wide smile spreading across his face and reaching his eyes.

"You're here!" Blaine exclaimed, nearly throwing himself at Kurt in a tight hug, his guitar still in hand. "What are you doing here? I thought you were filming until late tonight!" He pulled back and set his guitar neatly in the stand by the stool, pulling Kurt along and settling them both on the love seat on the left side of the room.

"We were supposed to, but we cut out early because we had a light schedule and they had to fix a few things in the last few scenes they shot. I had a feeling I'd be done early enough today but I didn't want to get my hopes up. I'm just happy I could make it to your show!" Kurt squeezed Blaine's hands that were intertwined with his own as he watched Blaine's eyes glisten with a few unshed tears and a smile spread on his lips.

"I'm so happy you're here," Blaine said sincerely, his voice full of emotion. "I mean, I know you had to work, but I really feel like I couldn't have done this without you. It felt weird that you couldn't see any of the shows."

Kurt smiled at that and pulled Blaine into another hug. "Well I'm here for the last one, so make it your best, okay?" He chuckled against the skin of Blaine's neck.

"I wouldn't want to disappoint," Blaine responded as he pulled back. "It's also my biggest show. I don't think I've ever played for this many people before." Blaine looked nervous, which was strange, because he was almost never nervous before a show. Sure, he'd get the pre-show jitters, but those weren't nerves, those were from anticipation. This time Blaine looked like he was actually worried about something.

"Hey," Kurt soothed, ducking his head to look into Blaine's eyes through his lashes. "Don't be nervous; they all came because they wanted to see you."

"I… I know. I just feel like tonight is the night I really have to prove myself. I have to be everything they want in order to get what I want." Blaine said uncertainly.

"Since when has that ever been your motive? Just play like you always do. Play because you love the music. Play because you want to share it." He encouraged. "You're going to be amazing, as usual. I know it." Kurt watched Blaine and waited for him to relax and take his comfort. He massaged Blaine's shoulder with his fingers, working the tense muscles as he breathed slowly, in and out, gaining his focus. His muscles relaxed with each breath, and he finally let out a soft, "thanks," while gazing up at Kurt.

At that moment Kayleigh poked her head in the door and swept in when she saw them sitting on the couch. "All right, love birds, stage manager said you've got five minutes. You ready?" She directed at Blaine, looking intently as he shook his head as if to clear it.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." He stood up and squeezed Kurt's hand gently before letting go, walking over to grab his guitar and head towards the stage, Kurt and Kayleigh following right behind him.

"Break lots of limbs and hearts," Kayleigh winked, giving him a hug. Blaine rolled his eyes and smiled good-naturedly. She backed away a little bit as the stage manager spoke with Blaine briefly before clapping him on the back and walking away, leaving Kurt next to Blaine.

"Ready?" Kurt asked, his palm resting lightly on Blaine's forearm and his fingers playing at the sleeve of his shirt.

"Yeah, I… thank you. For being here, for everything, really. I wouldn't be here without you." Blaine whispered.

"Yes, you would. All I did was help speed up the process. You're incredible and I'm so proud of you." Kurt was sincere with his words and Blaine bit his lower lip and looked at him with eyes full of such raw emotion that Kurt couldn't help but tug Blaine a little closer by the sleeve and press a gentle kiss to his lips. "Now go remind me how amazing you are." Kurt whispered against his mouth, barely opening his eyes to gaze at Blaine, who was still so close. Blaine stole one more kiss from Kurt, smiling against his lips, before he pulled away and turned towards the stage, ready to go and perform. Kurt watched as he introduced himself, so comfortable and whole in the environment.

"Sometimes I don't know if I want to slap you guys or take pictures. You're sickeningly sweet. It's adorable and nauseating." Kayleigh muttered from Kurt's left.

"God, you and Santana would be wonderful friends. You sound just like her." Kurt remarked, eyes still on Blaine as he began to play.

"Santana is the one you went to high school with, right?"

"Yup. Beautiful woman with a perfect body that other women would commit murder for, but a mouth worse than a sailor's. I love her to death, though. I don't know if I would have survived living in New York with Rachel without her. She was such a bitch but a fiercely loyal friend when you needed her to be, never anything but supportive." Kurt kept his voice quiet as he spoke, half paying attention to Blaine and half to his conversation with Kayleigh. "She was the one who convinced me to go to the auditions for _Secret Sides._"

"She was?" Kayleigh asked, also watching Blaine while talking with Kurt.

"Yeah. Rachel told me it was a waste of time because my main focus back then was Broadway, but Santana sat me down and basically asked what do I have to lose? I wouldn't be where I am without her." Kurt said honestly. Not that he tried to hide it, but he never really told people about his debacle before the audition that gave him his big break. He didn't want Rachel to look like the bad guy, because she wasn't; she just had a different focus.

"Wait a second, was she the girl you took to the premiere? She had dark hair and wore that red dress?"

"That's the one," Kurt nodded in reply. "I felt like I owed it to her to invite her to be my plus one since she helped me out with everything."

"God, I wanted to kill her, she's unfairly gorgeous. Plus she was your date, that was another reason to be jealous." Kayleigh muttered bluntly, glancing at Kurt with a smirk.

"She could always pull off that 'Devil in a Red Dress' look better than anyone I knew." Kurt smiled. Kayleigh hummed in response and the two of them watched Blaine play song after song, with a few monologues in between. Kurt marveled at how much more comfortable Blaine had seemed since he'd last seen him play. He wasn't quite fully comfortable on his own yet, but he'd improved so much since Kurt first met him.

Towards the end of his set, Blaine had moved to the keyboard and played a few songs, but paused after one of them with a thoughtful look on his face, before turning a bit to address the small crowd, his fingers still playing absently as they usually did.

"So, I don't know if you guys know this, but I have a very close friend with me here tonight," Blaine started, glancing towards the backstage area and locking eyes with Kurt. "And I hear he's a pretty fantastic singer." He smirked at Kurt and turned back to the audience. Kurt could feel it coming before Blaine spoke again, the feeling of dread seeping into his bones as he tried to get Blaine's attention and shake his head no, tried to tell him to stop. It wasn't that he was nervous or afraid of performing; despite his lack of real practice his voice was still well trained, but he wanted Blaine to have this night. He didn't want to distract from Blaine's performance.

"I was thinking about asking him to come out and sing with me, what do you guys think?" Blaine asked in a light, almost teasing tone and the crowd cheered and screamed, far louder than should have been possible for the relatively small venue. Blaine looked back at Kurt and waited. Kurt tried to stand his ground as Blaine looked at him with twinkling eyes and Kurt finally relented, stalking onto the stage and shaking his head, but he couldn't help but grin. A second microphone was brought out as Kurt slid onto the far side of the bench next to Blaine, the audience cheering and screaming as he settled himself down.

"I hate you." Kurt murmured as they tested the microphone. Blaine just turned to him and smiled wider than Kurt would have thought possible, and all he could do was roll his eyes in response. "Do I even know this song?" Kurt asked once everything was set up and working properly. Blaine played out a few different melodies all at once, as if his fingers couldn't decide, pursing his lips in mock thought before he replied.

"I'll be pretty offended if you don't." Blaine said mockingly, winking at Kurt as he settled onto one tune that Kurt immediately recognized. He had a feeling it wasn't what he was expecting though. He knew Blaine would try to throw him off. Kurt watched as his fingers danced over the keys, pressing shortly on chords and backing off again, finally stopping all together and looking intently at him as he began to sing, his gaze never leaving Kurt's.

_All you need is love  
__All you need is love  
__All you need is love…_

The last word had a sort of inflection that Kurt knew all too well. The grin on Blaine's face and the sparkle in his eyes as he waited for Kurt to continue gave him away perfectly, and it was with a smirk of his own that Kurt replied with a well-practiced grace from all throughout his high school years. This was his favorite movie, after all.

_Love is just a game_

The two of them went back and forth, singing the entirety of _Elephant Love Medley_ from _Moulin Rouge, _laughing the entire time while singing. They barely paid attention to the crowd, though they could hear the loud noises of encouragement around them, like a dull roar of background noise. Kayleigh was laughing and taking pictures from the wings of the stage, and the atmosphere around them felt so light and perfect, just as it should be.

As the song came to a close, the background noise grew louder and Kurt and Blaine were pulled from their own little world in the bubble of the piano. From the corner of his eye, Kurt could see Kayleigh bouncing up and down and clapping her hands frantically with a laugh etched across her face. He glanced over at Blaine and found him staring back at him, laughing as well and looking at Kurt with pure adoration. Kurt couldn't help but join the infectious laughter as the crowd continued to cheer and clap. After a few moments, Blaine cleared his throat and addressed the audience once more.

"Thanks, guys, that was fun." Once again, his fingers rested gently on the keys and he played softly, just loud enough to hear below Blaine's speaking. "I've got time for one more, so I'm going to slow it down a bit, all right?" He looked out into the crowd, smiling brightly, and Kurt couldn't help but think he looked so natural and happy where he was. He moved to slide off the bench and slip backstage, but Blaine turned to him as he felt him start to shift away.

"Hey, no, no, no, stay. I'm not done with you yet." Blaine ordered calmly. Kurt raised a questioning eyebrow, but returned to his seat wordlessly. Blaine gave a small, triumphant smile, and began to play a melody Kurt recognized easily. It was much slower and more graceful than the original, but Kurt loved Blaine's style and his ability to make songs into his own.

_I like where we are  
__When we drive in your car  
__I like where we are . . . here_

_'Cause our lips can touch  
__And our cheeks can brush  
__Our lips can touch . . . here_

_Well, you are the one  
__The one that lies close to me  
__Whispers, "Hello, I miss you quite terribly"_

Blaine's eyes barely flickered away from Kurt's as he sang, and Kurt knew there would be a huge deal about it tomorrow in the tabloids but he found that he really couldn't care less. He beamed as he joined in and harmonized with Blaine.

_I fell in love, in love with you suddenly  
__Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms_

_I like where you sleep  
__When you sleep next to me  
__I like where you sleep . . . here_

_Our lips can touch  
__And our cheeks can brush  
__Our lips can touch . . . here_

As Kurt took over the second verse, he couldn't help but smile to himself. For so long in high school, and though he'd never admit it up until recently, he'd longed for someone it could be this easy with. Someone he could sing to and with without batting an eye. They would know which parts to take without practice; they would just know each other.

_Well, you are the one  
__The one that lies close to me  
__Whispers, "Hello, I miss you, I miss you…"  
__I fell in love, in love with you suddenly  
__Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms  
__Here in your arms  
__Here in your arms_

Kurt didn't realize how quiet the audience had gotten until they started cheering again as the song ended. Blaine turned to him and mouthed a silent "thank you" before pressing a brief, tender kiss to his cheek, the action spurring even more screams and shouts from the audience as Blaine turned back to them one last time.

"You guys are awesome; thank you so much for having me here." He sat there for a moment, just staring at the crowd in awe and disbelief that they were all here for him. "I'll hopefully see you again soon! Thanks again, guys!" Blaine hopped off the piano bench, following Kurt's lead off the stage towards Kayleigh and the stage manager next to her. Mark and Maya, Blaine's boss and agent, were several feet away, conversing quietly with proud smiles on their faces.

Kurt stood off to the side and watched as Blaine was first bombarded by Kayleigh in a bone-crushing hug, then by the stage manager who needed to make sure Blaine had everything he needed before they cleaned up, and then by Mark and Maya, with whom Blaine took on a very professional posture and tone. They each looked excited as they spoke with Blaine shortly, clapping him on the shoulder and shaking his hand as they sent him off and he made his way over to Kurt, who immediately opened his arms and pulled him into a hug.

"You are amazing, Blaine. That was just… I'm so impressed with how far you've come!" Kurt murmured against his ear. Blaine squeezed him a bit tighter in response and choked back a laugh. "I'm serious!" Kurt exclaimed as he pulled back, his hands still resting on Blaine's shoulders. "You don't even know how much you've grown as a performer. You barely ever used to talk during your shows. You're so comfortable up there now; it's wonderful. I'm just so proud of you, Blaine." Blaine had tears in his eyes once more but he cleared his throat and blinked them away.

"You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that," Blaine whispered sincerely. He watched Kurt for a few more moments before breaking eye contact and glancing towards the empty stage. "Maya wants me to go back out and talk to people…"

"Say no more; go ahead and go be a star." Kurt nudged him with his hip towards the open stage, beaming as Blaine stumbled a bit on his feet.

"I'll be back in a little while, do you mind waiting?" Blaine asked apprehensively.

"Of course not, I'll be back here!" Blaine grinned widely and turned on his heel, plopping himself gracefully on the edge of the stage as a few people started crowding over. Yes, Kurt was incredibly pleased with how much Blaine had progressed in these past few weeks.

* * *

Songs used:  
Elephant Love Medley - Moulin Rouge  
Here in Your Arms - Hellogoodbye (However there is a BEAUTIFUL acoustic version on youtube that I imagined when writing this. Just type this after the Youtube URL: watch?v=F4VA7llbTZU )

So guys. This past week or so I've been getting ATTACKED with Casey feels. It's getting insane. I just keep seeing all of these gifs and pictures that remind me of little things about him and his relationship with Blaine and it's been like a rusty knife. EVERY. TIME. He's really important to me. Even though I killed him. This is what I get. Anyway, if you love Casey as much as I do or would like to know more about Casey and how much I love him and why he's so incredible, feel free to go check out my tumblr on my "Casey Hemp" tag. There will be gifs and tears and virtual ice cream will be sent out to all those in need.

Thanks so much for reading!  
-Rae (tumblr: raeofultraviolet)


End file.
